


There and Back With Me

by JeanneRiddle



Category: The Hobbit - All Media Types
Genre: M-preg? Sort of?, M/M, Not Suitable/Safe For Work, Sorry Not Sorry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-03
Updated: 2017-11-03
Packaged: 2018-03-20 23:41:03
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 22,585
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3669495
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JeanneRiddle/pseuds/JeanneRiddle
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Bilbo ventures into the caverns of the Kingdom of Erebor searching for the Arken Stone, however when he finds Smaug, he finds himself falling for the dragon almost instantly. Smaug finds himself in a similar circumstance towards the hobbit. Knowing that the Company of Dwarves and the people of Laketown would have no sympathy for a dragon, Smaug and Bilbo work together to fake the dragon's death.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Into the Depths of Erebor

After such a long, tiresome, and complicated journey, his part in the company had finally come! Bilbo held his breath. He still couldn't believe the dwarves had convinced him to go through the hidden door and into the lost city of Erebor. He felt just as lost... in thought. He was passed thinking of his nice warm hearth and his cozy bed. No, his thoughts lay completely on the dragon. Balin was going on about the Arkenstone and Bilbo finally honed his attention on what the elder dwarf was saying. 

"And if there is, in fact, a -um... live dragon down there... don't waken it." Bilbo swallowed heavily, not knowing how to reply to such an obvious piece of advice. He simply walked in the opposite direction of Balin and no doubt towards the terror he had been warned about over and over again for the past eighteen months. The pressure of his quest was immense. Truly none of the dwarves had anywhere near the responsibility he did. One mistake could lead to the death of everyone still living in the East.

Bilbo found himself on a massive staircase, looking down at mountains of gold and jewels. The sight was breath taking. No one had been down here for at least sixty years. Well, no one but the dragon. The hobbit slowly made his way down the flight of stairs and started looking for the large, white gem that Balin had described. The only problem was that there were plenty of large, white gems... Quartz, diamonds, opals and many other gems he was unfamiliar with littered the piles of gold strewn across the vast halls of Erebor. Bilbo sighed and picked up a goblet, looking at it for a small break from the white gems he'd been examining. He had already been down there for hours, losing track of time with no sky to orient him. The removal of the ornate cup caused an avalanche of gold coins. That was to be expected, actually, now that Bilbo thought about it. It wasn't the wisest decision to grab from the bottom of a pile.

He saw dark red scales and suddenly he was holding his breath to keep from losing it. He saw movement far to his right and realized that the tail of the massive beast was moving. Once again he sucked in more breath, hiding behind a nearby pillar and putting on the ring quickly. Slowly,- one scaly eyelid raised but the dragon saw nothing. He stretched with a long, loud yawn before sundering off out of sight and shrinking down to the size of a man. Skin replaced the scales. Wings, horns, and tail vanished, and he wandered about looking for the intruder that had disturbed his slumber. 

Bilbo caught sight of the man and thought it was a little odd that a human was wandering down here, but he supposed that men from Laketown got curious as well. And with the stir that the dwarves had caused in such a provincial town, it wasn't entirely surprising that a human would rush through the main entrance of the mountain to get his share of the riches while he had just an opportunity. He slowly took off the ring and ran after the man, tackling him down to the ground. He put his hand over the man's mouth to keep him from yelping in surprise. 

"Are you out of your bloody mind?!" Bilbo exclaimed in a harsh whisper. The man stared at him curiously, not as shocked as someone who had just been tackled should be. "The dragon's awake and you think it's a good idea to just wander about Erebor in no clothes?"

Then he realized what was wrong with the situation. If this man was truly from Laketown, he'd have some clothing on. Unless he was a mad man. Something flashed oddly in the nude man's eyes and it left Bilbo feeling unsettled. Something inside him screamed insistently at him to make a run for it. He got off of the man and bolted, stumbling among the gold with an urgency he didn't fully understand.

The man sat a moment, watching the hobbit fumble away before reverting back to his other form, moving effortlessly after the small creature that caught his curiosity. Bilbo had looked back in time to see the man transform into the horrible beast he had been warned about. The dragon easily caught the halfling and pinned him down with one large claw, careful not to injure the being but making sure that there was no chance for escape. A small squeak of fear erupted from Bilbo and his heart started beating rapidly, pounding against his ribs with such a force he thought they might crack.

"Oh, god! You're the dragon!" Bilbo choked out in realization. "You're Smaug!" He saw the dragon smirk, moving his head closer to the hobbit. Bilbo expected the dragon's breath to smell terrible but he found himself slightly surprised that it smelled... pleasant. It smelled like a flowering meadow with just a touch of mint, it smelled like the Shire. He felt a moment of tranquility before his mind pulled him back to his current predicament. His fear returned and he looked around, trying to figure out how to once again escape.

"You're not a very subtle thief, are you?" Smaug asked with amusement in his deep baritone voice. He left his mouth open just a bit, displaying row upon row of razor sharp teeth to further instill fear in his captive. Bilbo felt a shiver run down his spine. "It's obvious that you know my name, however I don't know yours..." 

"B-Bi-Bilbo... Bilbo Baggins..." The hobbit introduced nervously. He figured that he should oblige the dragon in hopes that he would live a little while longer. But then the thought that the dragon simply wanted to know his name so he knew what to call his meal came to mind. He needed to keep the dragon distracted from eating him. "You're able to shift forms?"

"Yes, I have the ability to turn human. It allows me to avoid being hunted if the need to avoid such a situation arises." Smaug explained, shifting his weight to discourage Bilbo from trying anything. "So, Bilbo, why exactly are you invading my home?" 

Bilbo swallowed thickly. "I... Um..." But before he could finish the dragon was interrupting as he sniffed him.

"You reek of dwarf! So you must be in league with Thorin Oakenshield. He must have sent you down here to retrieve the Arkenstone, yes?" 

"Thorn Oakfield? No, I don't know anyone by that name." he bluffed, swallowing heavily. The dragon looked at the halfling curiously, not believing a word BIlbo said. 

"You're a bit too short to be a dwarf. And you have a different, underlying smell about you." The firedrake muttered in observation. "What are you?"

"I'm a... a hobbit..." Bilbo managed through the dizziness of his fear. His bluff was called and he couldn't imagine the punishment he would receive for his innocent insolence would be anything good. Maybe this frightful calamity would torture him for his idiotic audacity. 

"Oh, yes. I've heard of hobbits, I didn't imagine I'd ever be smelling one this far East though." Smaug muttered, face only inching ever closer to the hobbit. "And where do hobbit's hail from, Mr. Baggins?" 

"I-I come from under the hill..." he squeaked, a lump in his throat making his voice into a harsh whisper. He wasn't about to sell out his neighbors if Smaug ate him and decided that hobbits were his new favorite snack.

"Underhill?" Smaug asked curiously. 

"Y-Yes, and under hills and over hills I have come to gaze upon your magnificence, oh, Smaug, the calamity..." Smaug snorted a snicker, chest puffing out like a threat rather than a display of pleasure at the praise. Small cracks of gold appeared on through the burgundy scales and Bilbo thought this might be his death.

"Don't think for an instant that flattery will prolong your life." he growled and Bilbo once again tried to swallow his fear but he was shaking pathetically. Something in Smaug changed when he saw the fear that flooded those dark blue eyes. He swallowed down the molten fire he had been about to spit and his demeanor returned to a slightly less threatening one. "Instead of attempting to halfheartedly lie about how great I am, tell me about yourself, Bilbo Baggins."

"I am he who walks unseen..." Bilbo managed and again Smaug gaffawed. Bilbo felt slight irritation at the fact that Smaug obviously didn't believe that sentence either, though he hadn't done a great job of showing how sneaky he could be. "I ride barrels..."

"Barrels?" Smaug asked with interest, face inching closer to his giant claw to better hear the anxious halfling. "How does one become a barrel-rider?"

Bilbo told his tale of his adventures in Mirkwood and Smaug listened contently, occasionally asking to hobbit to clarify a detail, but mostly showing awe and perhaps a little envy at the halfling's ability to go on such an adventure. Before long, Bilbo had told the dragon many of his adventures on his quest for the Arkenstone and Smaug found each story to be a sort of freedom from the confines of the lonely mountain, which had over the past sixty years, succeeded in making him feel very lonely. It wasn't common for a dragon to seek companionship, but he had been undisturbed since taking residency in the dark depths of Erebor, living off of the dwarves food stores.

Silence filled the halls of Erebor. For Smaug it was a comfortable silence that allowed him to process the many tales of Bilbo's adventures. For Bilbo, it was a tense silence that he used as a way to figure out more stories to tell the mountain of scales in hopes that it would prolong his life. Smaug glanced at Bilbo and the hobbit tensed up. "Stay a while longer, Barrel-Rider, and I will release you that you may tell your stories more comfortably."

Bilbo thought for a moment and nodded, finding the offer strange but willing to give such an odd bargain a try. The dragon released Bilbo from his grip and once again transformed into his human form to sit next the hobbit. Bilbo moved slowly into a more comfortable position, taking a deep breath to try and relax. He glanced at the dragon and quickly looked away, pink tinting his cheeks.

"Could you put on some clothes?" he asked, making the dragon smirk at his shyness.

"I suppose there's probably clothes around here somewhere." Smaug mused, running his fingers through his dark curls as he thought. "Something tells me that they'd be a little short on me though..." They would be meant for dwarves and he was much taller than dwarves, even in his human form.

Bilbo chuckled a little bit, taking off his jacket and offering it to the dragon. Smaug smiled a little and took the jacket slowly, setting it on his lap so that Bilbo would feel more comfortable looking at him. The halfling finally examined the transformation of the dragon closer. He had quite a handsome face with sharp cheekbones and his eyes seemed to have all sorts of colors flickering in them. Slowly the hobbit relaxed and he and the dragon continued to talk for some time, not just about Bilbo's adventures, because he had offered all the excitement he had experienced to the conversation already. Instead, he chose to talk about some mundane things, things that the dragon probably wasn't aware of, or had never stopped to consider.

Bilbo told Smaug some of his favorite recipes, the best way to grow tomatoes, and of his mother and father who had left him his estate. He talked of his nasty, greedy cousin who always tried to make off with the silverware every time she visited. He spoke of how Baggins had lived in his hobbit hole for generations, that they watched the tree his ancestor had planted on the top of the hill over his home grow proudly and announce that this was the proud home of the Baggins. And Smaug listened with the same interest he had shown towards Bilbo's adventures as he did with the perfectly mundane details of Bilbo's life before the dwarves abruptly shattered the frail normality of his former years. 

He had just been telling Smaug about what he had planned to plant in his garden before he had left when without warning Smaug moved over the hobbit, pinning him to the gold beneath him. Bilbo let out a small noise of surprise and stared up at the man with concern. His coat fell onto the hobbit's lap but he was far too distracted by the possible threat to his life to notice.

"Sm-Smaug..? Did I... say something wrong?"

The man did not reply, instead his face inching closer to Bilbo's. The hobbit held his breath, afraid of what was going to happen next. Would he shift forms, deciding he had heard enough of the outside world to last him a lifetime, and eat him? Were his teeth as sharp as his fangs? Smaug hadn't said much since he'd started talking so he couldn't be sure. Maybe he wouldn't need to shift forms to rip out this throat and end his life. He was pulled from the terrifying topics his mind was providing him with by the deep velvet voice of Smaug.

"Would you... kindly tilt your neck for a moment?" Smaug asked, eyes hooded and pupils blown wide. Bilbo had a chance to see his teeth now that he was so close and they looked normal. It didn't provide him with a lot of hope, but he felt a little braver now.

Bilbo thought it was a bizare request but he couldn't bring himself to find out what would happen if he refused. Slowly, he tilted his head to the side as asked, swallowing thickly as he tried to determine what the firedrake was seeking from this. He mind came to an abrupt halt when he felt a tongue on his neck, body stiffening again. Smaug pulled back and returned to the spot where he had been sitting, face beginning to flush.

"I'm sorry, I don't know what came over me." The man's face was as bright as a red tomato, similar to Bilbo's. Bilbo slowly sat up, shifting uncomfortably. He swallowed again, clearing his throat because it felt like his stomach had leaped up and settled against his vocal cords. His mouth felt wet but his throat felt like it had suffered a drought.

"Dragon instinct?" the hobbit suggested, looking down at his feet to keep from making any form of eye-contact with Smaug. The dragon shook his head, biting his lip. He was ashamed that he had interrupted Bilbo's liberating stories, and that he had taken advantage of the halfling in such a way.

"No... My dragon instincts are vicious... If it had been my instincts, you would be bleeding out from the neck, I imagine..." Bilbo swallowed hard, mouth going dry with his throat. If that was the case, he was very lucky to have avoided that fate. It did make him question why Smaug had licked him though. It made him question a lot of things really, like how he had avoided such a death.

They sat there next to each other uncomfortably in silence for a long time before Bilbo finally stood, taking his coat off his lap and putting it back on. He buttoned what buttons were left and brushed some dust off of it.

"Um... I should go..." Bilbo mumbled, scratching the back of his neck awkwardly. Smaug looked at the hobbit with a look that Bilbo recognized as some form of longing mixed with remorse, but then he looked away. The hobbit went back to gazing down at the ground with the same awkwardness from earlier that seemed to be a normal thing for him... at least it was while he was around the dragon. He started a path walking down the mountains of gold in the direction he had originally entered from.

"Wait..." Smaug called out, reaching for the hobbit even though he was a lot more than an arm's length away. Bilbo paused, slowly turning to look at the dragon who shifted as if he was suddenly uncomfortable with the hobbit's gaze set on him. He took in a breath and released it. He had the halfling's attention, now to keep it so he could be with him just a little long. Why did he want Bilbo to stay? He wasn't sure but it felt as if his life would become empty with out Mr. Baggins filling the void in his heart he wasn't aware he had. "You were looking for the Arkenstone, yes?" Bilbo nodded silently. Smaug stood, walked over to him, and moved to take Bilbo's hand.

"Wh-what are you doing?" Bilbo asked, voice a little higher than he expected. The dragon stared at him seriously. 

"Thorin Oakenshield is a dwarf. Dwarves are greedy. More so than dragons, if I say so myself. If you return without the stone... I have little faith it will end well for you. "

"Thorin wouldn't hurt me." Bilbo protested, being dragged by the hand in the opposite direction than the way he was heading before Smaug had stopped him.

"Mr. Baggins, I'm offering you the Arkenstone." Bilbo's thoughts stopped completely at the unexpected offer and he looked at the dragon curiously. 

"In exchange for what, exactly?" Bilbo asked carefully. He wasn't going into this bargain half blind. Smaug shrugged, looking away with a slightly embarrassed expression.

"I didn't really think that far..." Smaug admitted, cheeks flushed. "Can't it just be a gift?" 

"I thought you said that dragons are greedy." Bilbo retorted with just a hint of amusement, trying to understand why the dragon was offering him the item he had sought.

"We are. Consider it an exception. Everyone has exceptions, right?" Bilbo nodded slowly. Smaug guided Bilbo around the mountains of gold until they came across a large, white gem that was unmistakably unlike the rest. It was the Arkenstone. Smaug picked it up and offered it to the hobbit, hoping that their fingers would brush when the hobbit took it. He wasn't sure why he sought such a connection but he didn't question it.

"I hope this cursed stone doesn't get you into too much trouble." the dragon muttered with hidden fondness in his voice. Even though it was obvious that the hobbit was terrified of him, it had been nice to be talked to as an equal, instead of one of the great horrors of Middle Earth. The company the halfling had given him over the last couple hours was something he had never experienced before. He found it to be more valuable than all of the gold that surrounded them. Bilbo was perhaps the closest thing to a friend he had ever had.

"Thank you, Smaug." Bilbo murmured softly, taking the stone and shaking the dragon's hand. He turned and started walking back to where he came in. Something in him made him pause after several yards or so, turning back to look at the man he was about to leave behind. Honestly, the companionship that Smaug had given him was refreshing in comparison to how the dwarves behaved. To have someone that listened to him even when his life didn't depend on it, it was something he hadn't had in a long time. Leaving like this... it felt wrong.

Smaug had been staring at his retreating figure and it was obvious by how hard he tried to hide it. Bilbo smiled and Smaug returned the smile, shifting awkwardly. All at once, Bilbo threw the Arkenstone on the ground and rushed back over to Smaug. He sprung up off the gold strewn floor and wrapped his arms and legs around the taller man, kissing him passionately.

Smaug had not expected that, nearly stumbling back. He found though, that he liked the sensation of lips crashing against his own with the same sort of passion the hobbit showed in every aspect of his life. He smiled against Bilbo's lips, kissing back without hesitation. He cupped the hobbit's arse to keep him from sliding off of him as he slowly moved to sit down on the gold. He paused, pulling away ever so slightly, and looking at the halfling with a dorky grin.

"You certainly are full of surprises, Bilbo, but what about the dwarves? Won't they be wondering where you are?" the man inquired, resting his hands on Bilbo's hips.

"I've already been down here for a few hours, I don't imagine they'll be too suspicious if I stay a little longer... After all, it is a lot of gold... And there are many large white gems..." Bilbo said with a small smile.

"I don't mean to sound like I'm not grateful for this, but _why_ are you staying longer?" Smaug asked, feeling like he needed some sort of explanation to the hobbit's change in behavior. Bilbo shrugged, leaning back in to kiss Smaug tenderly.

"I don't know..." he admitted against the dragon's lips. "It just feels right..." he answered, not sure how else to explain it. His actions today surprised him as much as they surprised the firedrake, and yet everything felt so natural. Smaug didn't need much more of an answer. He was satisfied with the one he got. He pressed his lips to Bilbo's in a kiss more passionate than the ones they had already shared, wrapping his arms around the smaller man and holding him close. Bilbo sighed happily into the kiss. This was the warmest he had felt since he left his hobbit hole in the Shire. And honestly, he couldn't remember feeling like this in his entire life. He felt... happy.

Suddenly, the dragon's hands were fumbling with the hobbit's clothes, unfastening what remained of his buttons and pulling off the coat he was wearing. Bilbo grinned, helping Smaug get rid of his dirt-stained shirt. The brunette stared at the halfling's chest with intrigue, his fingetips tracing all of the little scars on his torso from scrapes and cuts he had received on his journey.

Bilbo watched Smaug's fingers, glancing at the man's eyes and smiling gently. It was like he was trying to read the story of each healed wound. Then the dragon's eyes focused on something else. He leaned in, face inches way from Bilbo's chest and his tongue flickered over his nipple. Bilbo's head tilted back on instinct and he let out a little hum, rather enjoying the strange but pleasant sensation.

He decided it was his turn to pin down Smaug, and he did so with a smirk. Smaug let out a yelp of surprise and looked up at Bilbo with a similar smirk. Bilbo kissed him hungrily, nibbling lightly on his bottom lip. His actions elicited a moan from the dragon which Bilbo liked the sound of very much.

Smaug's hands explored more of the hobbit's body, coming to rest on the small of his back. His fingertips teased the waistband of the adventurer's trousers, slipping under the fabric cautiously as if he was asking silently for permission. Bilbo smiled against Smaug's lips and helped the dragon remove the remainder of his clothing. Soon enough, he was naked and on Smaug's lap.

"Bilbo?" Smaug murmured uncertainly, looking away from the hobbit's storm blue eyes.

"Yes, Smaug?" Bilbo answered, kissing along the brunette's jawline.

"Would you... would you like to take me?" Smaug asked nervously, blushing brightly. Bilbo smiled softly, cupping those sharp cheekbones to look into Smaug's ever changing eyes.

"I would like that very much." he whispered, kissing Smaug gently. He broke the kiss to get off the man's lap, rubbing his thigh in encouragement. Smaug moved onto his knees, looking back over his shoulder at the hobbit anxiously. Bilbo found his breath gone at the sight. The firedrake looked absolutely gorgeous like this. His cheeks light pink and he was breathless from their kisses with swollen lips. He rested his hands on either side of Smaug's hips to help him relax and knelt in front of the perfectly shaped cheeks in front of him. He parted the cheeks slowly and pressed his face between them, licking over the puckered hole.

Smaug hadn't been expecting that and let out a small, surprised sound. He definitely liked it though. He leaned into the tongue, closing his eyes as soft moans slipped past his lips. The sounds encouraged Bilbo and he found himself licking over the hole more enthusiastically. He pressed his tongue against the tight ring of muscle until it finally gave way and allowed him to slide his tongue inside the dragon who seemed to be melting under the actions.

Bilbo wrapped one hand around Smaug's member which was now hard and throbbing with the need for release. His mouth fell open as one of Bilbo's fingers found its way inside him. He closed his eyes, leaning back on the digit despite a small but pleasant string. It felt so good. And suddenly the finger hooked inside him and hit something inside him. That felt incredible. Smaug moaned an encouragement, rolling his hips back and forth on the finger, chasing after the pleasure he had not imagined existed.

The hobbit added a second finger inside the dragon and watched him shudder slightly. This was a side of Smaug Bilbo never thought existed, and Smaug seemed just as surprised by it as he was. Slowly, he spread his fingers, stretching the dragon. The man was moaning as quietly as he could manage, keeping in mind the echo of Erebor's halls. The hobbit added one more finger before Smaug started begging for him to stop teasing and take him. Bilbo smiled at the dragon's request and withdrew his fingers slowly.

"Pl-please, Bilbo..." Smaug begged, looking over his shoulder with pleading eyes. He wasn't sure how much more teasing he could endure before he went insane. His cock was throbbing with need and his entrance was eager for more than just fingers.

Bilbo couldn't deny Smaug any longer when he saw the desperate look on his face. He adjusted himself against the man's entrance and slowly pushed inside him, gasping at the tight heat that greeted him. He rested his forehead against Smaug's back as they both adjusted to the sensations that were obviously new to both of them.

"Smaug, I've got a bit of a confession to make..." Bilbo whispered, biting his lip as he tried to relax. He wanted to make this last longer than three seconds.

"What is it, Bilbo?" Smaug asked, swallowing hard. He was panting quietly, trying to adjust to the stretch he hadn't quite been as ready for as he thought.

"This is my first time... Ever..." the halfling admitted, face flushing a bright red.

"Do you think that dragons get a lot of sexual advances of any kind?" the dragon retorted with a breathless grin, rolling his eyes and gazing into those stormy blue eyes. "It's my first time as well... Ever." 

Bilbo felt a little bit more courage well up in him at this, smiling and kissing Smaug's spine. He could wait no longer. He needed to take Smaug just as much as Smaug wanted to be taken. He started rolling his hips slowly, watching Smaug's back arch. He didn't want to hurt Smaug, but it seemed like he didn't need to worry because the dragon was enjoying this and it was obvious by how hard he had to try to keep quiet. He pulled almost all the way out, only to slide back into the smooth heat of the dragon.

"Oh, do that again!" Smaug pleaded, mewling in pleasure. Bilbo repeated the motion. He gained confidence in the movement, rolling his hips faster and deeper inside Smaug. All focus was on the pleasure he was chasing, and the pleasure he was bringing Smaug.

As much as Smaug was enjoying all the pleasure being brought to him, he wanted to contribute to the collective ecstasy. He slowly started rolling his hips in return, gaining momentum as he gained familiarity in the movement, which only made him moan happily. Smaug was lost in a pleasure he could not fully understand, nor did he want to. And before he could think, before he could even blink an eye, the pleasure was tightening in his belly, coiling so tight he didn't know what to do. And then it released, and his vision was white and he was letting out a loud moan, tensing his hips rutted uncontrollably.

Bilbo couldn't help but moan when he felt Smaug grow incredibly tight around him. And then he joined the dragon, unable to keep control of his body he came deep inside him with a small cry that he muffled with his fist. Everything blurred and he leaned on Smaug who was trying to recover from his own orgasm but pleasure left them both groggy.


	2. The Death of a Legendary Dragon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Smaug and Bilbo work together to fake the dragon's death to keep him safe in hopes that they will one day meet again.

When Bilbo's mind finally recovered from the intensity of his orgasm, he could feel air rushing into his lungs as he tried to regain his breath. Smaug was in a similar state, trying to cling onto any coherent thought. They both looked at each other and broke out into a fit of giggle. The cause of these giggles for Bilbo was that, not only had he just had sex with a complete stranger, that complete stranger was a dragon, and, not only that, he was growing fond of the dragon that had caused him such fright rather quickly. Smaug was laughing because he had just had sex! It was something he had never considered a possibility for him since he was a dragon and not a very well liked one, even among his own kind.

Bilbo withdrew his now softening member from Smaug and laid down next to him on the gold. They sat there, still panting, staring up at the vast, ornate ceilings of this monumental treasure room.

"You know, when Thorin told me to explore the caverns of Erebor, I don't believe he meant your arse." Bilbo and Smaug were hit with another fit of giggles that caused them to double over and seek each other's touch.

"I don't imagine that was his intention either. In fact, I believe that he would take this as a form of siding with the enemy."

"Yes, well, I think I like the enemy." Bilbo murmured, looking up at Smaug with a soft smile. He scooted closer to the man, taking Smaug's hand in his own and giving it an affectionate squeeze.

"You should probably get going... I don't want the dwarves to worry that I killed you or something... Go on, take the Arkenstone with you." Smaug muttered, slowly withdrawing his hand from Bilbo's. He needed to detach himself. Bilbo had a life to get back to and he couldn't fit into it no matter how much he wanted to. So the easiest thing to do was get Bilbo to leave.

"I'm not going yet. The moment I give Thorin that stone, he's going to call the seven dwarven kingdoms down here and they're going to kill you." Bilbo's voice cracked at the end of the sentence, and it added to the authenticity of his concern which caused Smaug to take the topic seriously. Was Bilbo concerned? About him? Hours ago he had been scared out of his wits by his enormous dragon form and now he was concerned about the possibility of the dragon's death? It had to be the ecstasy of orgasm, right? Bilbo couldn't actually worry about him so much, could he?

"I suppose that is an outcome, yes." Smaug murmured reluctantly, swallowed down the heavy lump in his throat. He didn't want Bilbo to see him die though. He never wanted Bilbo to see him dead.

"You're ready to die?" Bilbo asked, shock evident on his expressive face. The hobbit didn't like the idea of Smaug dying. He had found someone who felt like a great friend, and maybe something else. Something more.

"I am of the firm belief that I've added enough grief, death, and suffering to the world. I've earned my fate." 

"What if I was there?"

"What do you mean?"

"What if I was with you for the rest of our lives?" Bilbo asked, blushing softly. It was almost embarrassing the way he was trying to keep Smaug alive, but he wasn't about to let him go. Call him selfish but he very much enjoyed Smaug's company. He was attached.

"As tempting a thought as it is, my life is going to last much, much longer than yours is, assuming I don't die in the next few weeks due to the dwarves actions." Bilbo nodded, resting his hand on Smaug's forearm.

"I know, but doesn't the thought sound nice enough to act on?" Smaug nodded in agreement. Bilbo's touch seemed to have an effect on him, making him want to give in to the hobbit's every whim "Well, then why don't we try it?"

"What do you suggest?"

"We fake your death."

"How?" Smaug questioned and Bilbo paused. He hadn't really thought about it. The topic was serious enough that no half-baked plan was going to work. They would have to work out every detail. Nothing could be dismissed. "There's a man in Laketown, Bard. He's got a black arrow, so we should avoid him."

"He has a black arrow?" Bilbo nodded gravely. "What if we used it to fake my death?"

"No, it's too risky. He could kill you." Smaug sighed and looked over to Bilbo with an annoyed expression. He wasn't sure that it would be effective to fake his death. And how could they make it convincing? Because nothing would change if it wasn't convincing. "Unless..." 

"Unless?"

"You can't die if they use something other than a dwarvern windlance, can you?"

"No, I can't." Smaug raised an eyebrow curiously. "Do they have a dwarvern windlance?" 

"Yes, but you could destroy it." Bilbo said triumphantly, sitting up and turning to look at Smaug with an excited expression. 

"And that would prevent me from getting killed. But you don't think they'll come up with some other way of killing me? I mean they are dwarves. They can make another windlance." Bilbo bit his lip in thought. Smaug had a point. Breaking the windlance didn't solve much.

"We still have the option of faking your death."

"But how will we fake my death exactly?" Bilbo thought hard about this, carefully working out the details so that nothing could go wrong. He knew the dwarves well enough to know what actions they would take. And he knew Bard enough to guess what he would do. What he didn't know was-

"Are there any places in Erebor that would be a tactical advantage for the dwarves?" Smaug was taken aback by the question but paused as he considered the question.

"There is the Hall of Kings and the smiths. They're right next to each other. I suppose they might have a bit of leverage in the mines too." 

"Then that's where we want them."

"Why would we want them where they'd have a tactical advantage?"

"It makes them think they are winning. You can't die by anything other than a black arrow fired by a dwarven windlance so you're safe." Smaug couldn't argue with that logic, however it didn't make him any more comfortable thinking about it.

* * *

Soon the plot was set and they embarked on their plan. Smaug was terrifying in his dragon form, chasing Bilbo the way he came from. It was almost as if Bilbo wasn't acting on his fear, but expressing it.

He gave the hobbit a little bit of space when he smelled a dwarf he recognized. Thorin. The interaction was so fast that it was only a few seconds before the young dwarf prince had turned his blade on Bilbo. Smaug needed to intervene. He couldn't let Bilbo get hurt. So he let out a low growl, sundering towards them, and puffing out his chest. And then there were more dwarves letting out little battle cries at him.

He didn't want to harm the dwarves. They were Bilbo's friends and the last thing he wanted to do was cause Bilbo any misery. But he needed to be convincing. Moments of chase continued and he would occasionally blow fire for show, knowing the effect of panic it would bestow on the dwarves. That being said, he did want to teach Thorin a lesson for threatening to use a sword on his most precious hobbit. So it wasn't a complete accident that Thorin's coat caught aflame.

In fact, Smaug found it rather easy to target Thorin because if anyone in the group of fourteen had earned Smaug's terrorizing, it was Thorin. And yet, somehow he knew that Thorin wasn't going to learn his lesson from this, that the dwarf would threaten the only person that mattered to him again. He was rather impressed with the ingenuity of Thorin's make shift plan, though Bilbo and Smaug had calculated it all.

The molten gold that had submerged him was not painful against his scales, but it burnt the sensitive under skin where his scale had been knocked out all those years ago. Still, it wasn't unfortunate as the gold provided a makeshift scale that would add just a smaller amount of protection should Bard's aim prove to be true despite the turmoil he was to cause.

Smaug had left the mountain and was heading to burn Laketown. Smaug's final farewell to his violent, hateful days. As Bilbo had predicted, Bard had been desperate in his destruction of the windlance, and used his broken bow to attempt to kill the dragon. And it seemed like he did. The dragon faded into the water and before long, Smaug as had transformed himself from his dragon form to his human one, swimming ashore in hopes that someday he and the hobbit would reunite.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and Kudos are always appreciated!


	3. Something More Unexpected

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I regret nothing!

Smaug knew that Bilbo was in danger. He could smell war on the air and it wasn't from burning down Laketown. He looked back in the direction of the lonely mountain even though he was surrounded by the trees of Mirkwood. He had no fear of being lost. The haze of the forest didn't work on him because of his magic. He turned back to the direction he had been walking, slowly accepting his fate. He would probably never see Bilbo again. He had no idea where to even look for the hobbit or where he lived. Then there was the fact that there was a large chance that Bilbo would die in the battle that plagued the air. 

Two weeks Smaug walked through that long and exhausting forest without any sort of strange occurrence. Though, he knew he should've known better than to assume that it would stay that way. It started simply with a jolt of pain he couldn't seem to comprehend. What was wrong with him? He didn't understand. His stomach felt an ache he couldn't begin to describe though he was certain it wasn't from hunger. It wasn't long at all before he was writhing on the forest floor, crying out in pain; a groaning and whining mess among the dead leaves and twigs that were strewn haphazardly about the forest floor by a thousand different forces of nature. 

Unbeknownst to Smaug, he shifted into his dragon form and the pain lessened considerably but he still felt terrible. He closed his eyes tightly, panting from exhaustion as something pushed against his insides, wanting out. Smaug must have laid there for hours, writhing in pain and crying out when the pain became too much for him to keep quiet. The sounds that left him were loud bellows that cracked some of the branches that surrounded him with the harsh volume of his dragon voice. Finally, after what felt like ages, the pain was gone. Smaug unknowingly shifted back to his human form and laid against the dried leaves of the forest, unconscious from the stress. The sweat from his exhaustion causing a few leaves to cling to his forehead.

The first thought that entered Smaug's mind was not about the agony he had experienced, nor the stench of the dead of the battle that had been done with for at least a week, but Bilbo. The thought of the hobbit brought clarity and peace to Smaug's troubled mind. Slowly he stood, though still dizzy and incredibly sore. The pain he had endured made his body require that he move at a slow pace. His mind was not completely functioning and he began venturing out of the forest once more, forgetting entirely about the source of his pain.

It was an egg, though it looked far more delicate and elegant than what anyone would expect. It looked like a stained glass window the same color as the dragon's scales with its own little scales surrounding the precious egg and protecting it. It was about the size of a one year old child, and through the deep, thick, and hard scales of dragon glass egg could be seen a faint figure. If you pressed your ear to the glass that enveloped this impossible infant, you could hear the faint heartbeat echoing against the shells of the egg, up until the child developed more fully and ribs and all manner of important muscles and skin enclosed themselves around the source of the beating. Months that egg stayed there, forgotten and unknown to anyone.

Smaug hadn't realized that such a thing was possible after all, he had never mated before and since dragons didn't mate frequently, much less with anything besides a dragon, he had never imagined anything would result from his union with Bilbo. Not only that but he was a drake. It seemed unlikely that he could reproduce with another male, but he was also the only drake to ever mate with another man.

Finally, it hatched after almost a year sitting on the lonely forest floor. A small baby girl lay in the middle of the shattered egg, crying in the cold air. It was a strange sound, Tauriel thought as she wandered through the forest. She had taken to doing that. It was part of her grieving process. How she missed Kili! Often while she wandered the forest, she would think of his dark brown eyes that had so much life and happiness despite all the pain the dwarves had ever been through. Yes, this was how she had spent every afternoon for the past eight months. Nothing out of the ordinary had happened to her within those eight months. The spiders kept their distance, fearing her for she killed many in her rage of losing her love. 

The sound of an infant was definitely out of the ordinary. She followed the noise with a swiftness she hadn't shown since the battle and paused to see a little baby in the center of many little shards of deep burgundy glass. She slowly approached the infant, taking the small child in her arms and trying to warm her. She cooed to silence the babe, looking around at the spiders who had crept around to investigate the sound as well. She ran her fingers though the baby's short hair and decided that she would take the child to Thranduil to ask his advice. She took a small shard of the glass and made her way back to the elven caverns.

To say that the Elven King was surprised at the story that Tauriel recounted would be a large understatement. The fact that he could not explain the child's existence bothered him most, but he was soothed by the fact that Tauriel was smiling for the first time since the death of her beloved dwarf. Reluctantly, he gave Tauriel permission to raise the child, giving her the name 'Celebrian' to ensure that she couldn't name the child Kili.

The child was smaller than a elf babe though larger than a dwarf babe. Placing her origin was impossible for even the wisest of elves. Her head was covered red-brown curls and her eyes were grey with flakes of color splashing around in them. She showed prospect in archery, similar to the skills Legolas had demonstrated. That made it easier for Thranduil to accept the child since she reminded him of his own. She seemed to at least show signs of long life, similar to the Dunedin but not still that origin didn't quite match up either. She was far to small to be a human child. She spent many hours reading, and learning skills of craft from the elven ladies.

Tauriel was a compassionate mother, teaching Celebrian everything she needed to know about the world. Many nights, the would climb the trees together and gaze up at the stars with fascination. The elf always seemed so at peace in these moments compared to how lonely she looked when she thought Celebrian wasn't looking.

Seventeen years passed quickly and the elves decided that Mirkwood was no longer a good place to live, it hadn't been safe for years. The spiders had grown too bold. They sent the youth away first, that included Celebrian despite her efforts to persuade the Elven King to allow her to stay and attempt the defend their home with the other warriors, with her mother, however to no avail. Thranduil refused and so off she went through the wide, wide world. Never to see many of the elves that raised her ever again. She went to the Lothlorien forest in hopes of finding a new home among the elves there. Galadriel gladly took in the youth and Celebrian served faithfully at her side.

Sixty-one years had past since the great battle Tauriel had told her about many times over the course of her childhood. Celebrian still looked youthful and she was still skilled in the ways of archery but she had added dueling to her skill set as well. Over the years at Lothlorien she had mastered her swordsmanship. She lived closely with Galadriel, serving her in any way she could. Something had been burdening the Elf-Woman and Celebrian could no longer contain her curiosity on the subject. She had been brushing Lady Galadriel's long, platinum locks when she finally mustered the courage to help her with what was burdening her mind.

"My lady, Galadriel?" she asked slowly, uncertain that the lady would even divulge her thoughts. The elegant woman glanced towards Celebrian.

"What is it, Celebrian?" she asked in return. Celebrian felt courage fail her slightly but she was still brave enough to continue.

"Something has been troubling you." she stated seriously. Galadriel nodded slowly.

"It would seem I cannot hide the truth from you any longer." This statement certainly peaked Celebrian's interest. She sat down next to the Elven-Queen.

"Then don't." she suggested, looking at her and waiting for some sort of explanation.

"You may have guessed that you are not Elven-born." Celebrian nodded. It had been obvious to her. She wasn't quite as tall as everyone else. "But you are no dwarf either."

"Then what am I?" Celebrian pressed, wanting to know about the riddle that was her life. So far the conversation had only opened up more questions in her heart.

"Well, your feet would suggest a hobbit." Celebrian's eyebrows furrowed at that statement as she looked down at her large, hairy feet. She had always kept them uncovered, finding that she disliked the amount required of materials to cover them so she left them bare.

"Hobbits are shorter far shorter than I am, are they not?" 

"They are." Galadriel answered before continuing. "I believe you are not fully hobbit. Perhaps you are a mixture of races. Maybe human..."

"Should I not have aged at least a bit in that case?" her head was swimming with questions.

"The elf that raised you told you of Smaug the Great Fire Drake from the North, yes?" Celebrian nodded, unsure of where the wise elf was going with this. It was the story Tauriel told more than any other tale. There seemed to be very little connection between that story and her existence, though. "Well, the man I suspect is your father was a hobbit. One of the bravest hobbits to ever live and highly praised by the dwarves of Erebor." Celebrian was excited at this news but also more confused.

"What in the world does that have to do with Smaug?" she asked.

"Well, when your father was a little younger than you are now, he set out on a quest with Thorin Oakenshield to reclaim the halls of Erebor. He was the only hobbit I know of to travel so far East. If any hobbit were to be your father, I believe it would be him." Celebrian sat quietly, trying to make sense of Galadriel's words. After several long moments, the hobbit girl finally spoke.

"If my father is a hobbit, I should like to find him. He would live in The Shire?" Galadriel nodded. 

"His name is Bilbo Baggins." 

Celebrian knew better than to doubt Galadriel's word. She was powerful in the way of seeing the future and her magic was nothing to joke about. Still, the stories that Tauriel had raised her with left her with mixed feelings. So many questions were stirring in her heart. Was her father even alive? It had been over sixty years since her father quested for Erebor. If he had only been a little younger than she was now, she doubted he was still among the living. Hobbits rarely lived more than a century and it was a decade past one Smaug had done so many horrible things, and if Bilbo had bedded this monster, that should make the man no better, right? Celebrian set out in search of Bilbo Baggins, a hobbit who was highly praised by the dwarves. She didn't understand why her search began, nor did she know that she was late in departing for it was the eve of Mr. Bilbo Baggins of the Shire, Barrel Rider's one hundred and eleventh birthday. All she knew was she needed to find out a little bit more about her father. That was the goal of her adventure.


	4. A Ring Delays Our Quest

The journey to the Shire was a long one, and she didn't know what to expect when she would finally arrive. Her arrival was still at least a month off though... That didn't give her patience any help. She sighed, she would have to stay at Rivendell for the night, not that she minded. She was most comfortable around elves. The sun was just beginning to set when Celebrian walked over the peak of the hill before Rivendell. She had seen many beautiful places built by the elves but Rivendell had to be the most beautiful place she had ever set eyes on. The sheer beauty of the waterfalls took her breath away. 

Even though she had never been here before in her life, she felt that it was familiar to her. She thought that it was a bit strange but she didn't mind too terribly much. Soon, she would be warm and dry and she could enjoy good food and good company.

Elrond greeted her at the courtyard, welcoming her completely. It was nice to be behind any sort of wall that made her feel safe after travelling the wilderness for quite a long time. Elrond looked like he had had a trying week though. It looked as though something was troubling this elven leader as well.

Celebrian was seated next to Elrond at dinner as his guest of honor. She looked at him as he sighed, setting her silverware down and raising an eyebrow as he spoke.

"You obviously have something on your mind, Celebrian. Ease yourself and tell me what bothers you." he murmured as he ate, glancing over at... well, even she didn't know what she was.

"You are also troubled." she observed, eating as well. Elrond smiled in amusement. 

"Lady Galadriel had warned me of your compassion and of your forward disposition." He looked at her and sighed. "I have been told you're stubborn, how about you tell me what bothers you and in return, I will tell you what bothers me?" 

"I find flaw in that deal, Lord Elrond." Celebrian said boldly. "What's to assure me that you keep your end of the bargain?" Elrond's amusement grew and he laughed a little. 

"I am a Lord, it is my duty to keep my word. Does that satisfy you?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. Celebrian nodded slowly. 

"I suppose it will suffice." she agreed before growing serious as she began to tell of her burden. "The Lady Galadriel revealed to me some of my origins... She says that my father was a Hobbit, however the information she divulged regarding my mother..." 

"It troubles you." Elrond finished for her. Celebrian nodded again.

"I have plenty of time to think on it an I imagine my mother. But she was a human so she must be long dead by now. Besides, she abandoned me in the forest when I was born so she probably didn't want me. She must have been from Laketown." Elrond nearly choked on his drink.

"The only Hobbit that ever travelled that far East was-"

"Bilbo Baggins" Celebrian nodded. "I am aware. I doubt he's still alive either... What of your troubles, Lord Elrond?" the elf-lord grew serious, a small frown appearing on his face.

"There is a ring... A ring that was forged in the fires of Mount Doom in Mordor by an evil so great, I almost dare not speak its name." Celebrian raised her eyebrows curiously. "Sauron." 

"From the legends thousands of years ago?" 

"It wasn't a legend. I was there." 

"My apologies, my lord..." Celebrian murmured, shifting awkwardly. "Please, continue..."

"This ring is more powerful than any of the rings he ever gifted to men, elves, and dwarves. And he wants it back." Elrond says gravely. Celebrian's eyebrows knit together in confusion.

"He wants it back? You mean he's been alive this whole time?" Elrond nodded.

"I imagine the ring allowed him to cling onto life. Let him linger in this world as long as possible." Elrond murmured, sighing. "The ring has been discovered after thousands of years. And it has been sent with a fellowship of nine to Mordor to be thrown into the fires of Mount Doom, as of yesterday." 

"You're worried that it won't make it to Mount Doom without assistance." Elrond nodded. Celebrian shifted to look at Elrond more seriously. "What do you need me to do?"

 

Bilbo Baggins was soundly asleep in his room in Rivendell, and Elrond never mentioned it to Celebrian. She was away on a mission before he could even tell her that her father lived. She had put off her quest of learning more about the man who brought her into this world thinking he was already dead and that she could find out the information she sought after the safety of all the races of Middle Earth was insured.


	5. A Four Year Quest Ends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After four years of unspoken glory to help the outcome of the Fellowship's quest, Celebrian's quest comes to an end and Celebrian realizes her father would be one hundred and fifteen years old.

Celebrian was staring out at the rolling hills of the Shire. She should've been here four years ago but her compassion lead her to help with a quest that had little chance of success. Yet, somehow victory had been the outcome of the quest of the Fellowship. And victory had been the outcome of her own quest. She was exhausted, changed. So many battles, so much death. She was more skilled than most who had died at the hands of Sauron but she found herself regretting surviving. Her mother was most likely a ghost to all records. Her father, she knew nothing about and the chances of him still being alive was so small that the lack of hope hurt. Still, perhaps she could learn something of his life. That was why she was here

 

_Celebrian stood defiantly in battle, a stance that was very defensive as the spiders of Mirkwood surrounded her, cutting off hope for escape. The spiders were certain that victory was near, that this stinging fly that had been thinning their ranks for weeks was finally going to get swatted. One spider lunged forward and Celebrian took her short sword and dug the blade into the thick skull of the approaching spider. There was a loud, horrible shriek and once she removed the blade the spider fell to the ground, motionless. She smirked and looked at the other spiders, standing on the corpse of her most recent kill with her sword pointed at them as if to challenge them._

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_"Who's next?" she asked, throwing her blade up in the air. Another spider charged towards her. She caught the blade effortlessly and sliced at the spider's pincers. Another horrible shriek. These spiders were going to make her go deaf with all of their shrieking she was sure of it. Suddenly all the spiders chose to attack at once and Celebrian curled into a small ball._

 

She walked aimlessly about the Shire. Where should she look? She was in Hobbiton which was where her father would have lived supposedly but she was new here and knew not where she was nor where she was wanting to be. She spotted a family of Hobbits playing on the road, a child giggling with her father. She walked up to him nervously, feeling out of place being slightly taller than the hobbits. 

"Excuse me, could you tell me where I could find the house of Bilbo Baggins?" She asked nervously. The Hobbit's smile faded slightly.

"You mean the former house of the Baggins'?" he corrected. She nodded. She had expected that. She was certain her father was dead now.

"Yes. That's the one." she agreed. 

"Sure, I'll take you there myself." The blonde hobbit offered, guiding the little hobbit girl over to her mother. "I'll be back in a while, Rosie, I'm going to help this woman." he turned to look at the stranger. "If you don't mind me asking, why are you looking for the Baggins?" 

Celebrian looked helpless at that comment. "I wish I knew..." she answered honestly. The hobbit seemed to be troubled by her answer.

"What could you be seeking?"

Celebrian was quiet a moment, trying to think about what it was she was looking for. "I... don't know.."

Sam found himself concerned by the stranger. If she was seeking wealth, he didn't want her in Bag End but it took her quite a while to answer so he had a feeling wealth wasn't her first priority. "I don't mean to sound rude, miss, but what are you exactly?"

"I apologize, but I'm afraid I don't fully know myself..." Celebrian sighed, looking down at her feet.

"Well, you're too short to be an elf." he offered. 

"Yet I was raised by elves none-the-less." He smiled. 

"If you were raised by the elves shouldn't you be in Valinor, the Undying Lands?" Celebrian raised an eyebrow. 

"How would a hobbit come to know where the elves have gone when I myself have wondered where they went?" 

 

_Horrible screams sounded from all around as Celebrian threw a handful of throwing knives around at the advancing spiders. All of them hit their marks and the spiders were now retreating. Celebrian glared at the spiders as they all fled off in one direction. She started chasing after them intent on hunting them all down. She caught up to them quickly enough, them being wounded countered the speed they should have with eight legs. She drew her bow and shot arrow after arrow at the foul creatures, smirking as spider after spider fell behind the pack, unmoving. Finally she had gotten the last one. She panted heavily, closing her eyes. She had done as she was asked by Lord Elrond. It was time to move on to a new part of Middle Earth and continue her aid of the Fellowship._

 

"That's a very simple answer, Miss." The hobbit answered with a smile. "I knew five of the folk who left for Valinor." Celebrian raised an eyebrow.

"It is rare for a hobbit to know so many elves." she murmured, looking at the hobbit with curiosity. 

"Two of them were hobbits, Miss. Baggins, actually." Celebrian stopped in her tracks. 

"Does that surprise you, Miss?" the hobbit asked. 

"Very much so, I had heard that Bilbo Baggins never married, nor had any children." she answered.

"Who are you to know so much about Mr. Bilbo, Miss?" 

 

_It was damp, musky, and cold. The only light and source of comfort was that of her torch. So much death surrounded her as she looked down at the many dead dwarves that lay on the ground. Moria. The stench of the dead was sickening. Why had she been sent here? Surely whomever it was that had wiped out this large mine of dwarves had long since cleared out, judging by the decay of the corpses. She explored the mines curiously, looking around at every detail. She found a doorway with a bright light. Curious for a mine. Slowly she investigated._

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__

"Balin?" she asked, remembering the name. Tauriel had spoken that name before. This dwarf had known her father. This was the first time she ever considered the fact that her father could be dead. After all, Ringwraiths had been worrying the land of the Shire for quite some time, and not only that but he would be much older than hobbits ever lived to be.

_Suddenly the sound of drums erupted from the tunnels and she held her breath as she turned look in the direction of the beats._

 

"My name is Celebrian." she answered the hobbit. "May I know your name?" 

"Samwise Gamgee." The hobbit answered with a smile. "You still haven't answered my question, Miss Celebrian." 

Celebrian sighed in defeat. "I... I am trying to find out who I am..." 

"How will seeing Bag End help with that?" 

"I... I don't know, Mr. Gamgee..." she said finally. 

"A wise elf by the name of Galadriel told me I can find the answers I seek in the Shire." Now it was Sam who paused. 

"You know Lady Galadriel?" he questioned, grinning.

"You do?" she returned the question. Sam nodded and she raised an eyebrow. "You are a very curious and surprising hobbit, Mr. Gamgee."

"Please, call me Sam." Sam murmured. "I met Lady Galadriel on my travels quite some time ago. She gave me elven rope to aid me in my quest." 

"And what quest would that have been?" 

 

_Thousands of goblins surrounded her and she found herself quickly drawing her short sword and a dagger in defense, carefully watching for any sign of attack. More and more goblins seemed to file into the room and Celebrian realized this was going to be a long battle if she wanted to survive. She was determined to find just a small trace of who she was before she died and no goblins were going to stand in the way of her doing just that. That she was certain of. She carefully tracked each movement as the goblins began to swarm her. She must have cut down hundreds but they kept swarming her. The battle seemed futile and the hope of surviving unless._

 

Celebrian found herself stopping again, almost fumbling this time. "You were in the Fellowship?" she exclaimed. The hobbit nodded.

"Yes, but it's nothing to be excited about."

"To me, it is. I was on a quest to aid the Fellowship." 

"And how did that work out for you?"

"I succeeded in every assignment set for me, however it has left me with very little hope of finding who or even what I am." 

"I never ran into you on my travels, did you perhaps meet the others in the fellowship?" 

"Oh, no! We would've remembered her!" A voice said. Sam jumped in surprise and glanced over at the hobbit he had heard. He crossed his arms over his chest and scowled.

 

_Finally the last goblin's corpse fell to the ground and she fell to her knees, lying on the corpses of many goblins. She was drenched in sweat and panting harder than she ever had in her life. Exhaustion overwhelmed Celebrian as she lay on the stinking dead that surrounded her. She fell unconscious._

 

"Pippin, it's rude to drop eaves!"

"You're one to talk!" 

"Yes, but I learned my lesson." Sam turned to look at Celebrian. "This is Pippin, I'm sorry he doesn't have anything better to do than listen in on conversations." 

"It's perfectly alright, Sam, I find him to be amusing. By the way he talks, is it safe to assume he was in the Fellowship too?" Sam nodded. "To answer your question, no, I never met anyone from the Fellowship. I was assigned to take out as many of Sauron's potential allies as possible."

"What allies?" Pippin questioned.

"Mostly the goblins in the mines of Moria, the spiders in Mirkwood, and any Orcs to the far East that had been terrorizing the descendants of Laketown."

"When did you take out the goblins?" Sam asked curiously, remembering his adventures through Moria with a shiver.

"Two years ago, approximately." 

"Ah, after we went through there then." Sam muttered, still smiling despite the inconvience her tardiness had caused them.

"It certainly took you long enough." Pippin commented. Sam glared at Pippin and Celebrian chuckled. 

"Now then, back on the subject of you finding out who you are." Another voice, one unfamiliar to Celebrian.

 

_Celebrian awoke later. She had no clue how much later. She reeked of dead goblin and dwarf but her quest was far from over. How long until the ring found the fires of Mount Doom? Or a more realistic question would be: would it find the fires of Mount Doom? This seemingly impossible mission was growing to be a heavier burden on her every day. Slowly she got up and started to make her way out of Moria. She needed fresh air. She needed to go towards the lonely mountain of Erebor. She was certain of it._

 

Celebrian glanced at the new hobbit. Sam sighed. "Honestly, Merry, you too?" 

"I'm sorry, Sam... I couldn't help it, she's just so interesting." Celebrian's cheeks flushed lightly at the comment. Merry returned his attention to the stranger. "Now then, Celebrian, how will going to Bag End clear up any of the mysteries you have about your identity?"

"Well..." 

"Go on." Pippin urged. "Give us the whole story." 

"Guys, don't you think she may want to keep some things private." 

"No, Sam, it's alright. In truth, it's probably better for myself if I admit what brings me here." Celebrian stated, sighing softly. "I've been told that Bilbo Baggins was my father." All three of the hobbits in front of her stared at her like she was a troll.

"Not possible." Pippin concluded, folding his arms over his chest. "Bilbo Baggin's doesn't have any children. The closest he had to a kid was Frodo and he was an adopted nephew of the man." 

"I know it sounds ludicrous but it's the only clue I have..." 

"What makes you think that Mr. Bilbo was your father?" Sam asked curiously.

"I was born in the East. Lady Galadriel said that the only hobbit that ever traveled far enough to reach Laketown was Bilbo Baggins." All three hobbits looked at Celebrian like she had lost her mind.

"I pity you very much. You've fallen victim of a vicious prank. See, we grew up on the stories of Bilbo's adventures, they were all Bilbo talked about. Before he headed off to Erebor he spent one night in Laketown but that night he hadn't separated from the dwarves, and after that the dragon destroyed Laketown so I doubt you were conceived then either." Merry muttered, patting Celebrian's shoulder.

"I've been told those same stories by the elf that raised me. However, Lady Galadriel was the one to tell me of this fact. And I have recently come to know that I was discovered in a strange situation that provides me with a little more clarity on my conception but more confusion in my heart..." 

 

_Indeed the quest had been long, hard and trying but eventually Celebrian found hope as the people in New Dale started to rejoice one morning. The ring had at last met the fires of Mount Doom. It would take a long while but Celebrian was going to travel to the Shire and find out what little she could about herself. Quickly she rode to visit Elrond and inform him of the success of her mission. Not that it mattered much in the long run, she felt as if her three years of gallivanting about Middle Earth had been ineffectual to the outcome of the Fellowship's own mission. When she had arrived at Rivendell, Thranduil was waiting for her instead of the other Elven Lord she had been expecting. Celebrian knelt and Thranduil smiled, lifting her chin up to look at her face._

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"My sweet child, I never thought that I would ever gaze up your face again." he murmured soothingly. "My, how you have changed!"

"My lord, I don't understand... Where is Elrond? I'm supposed to see him..."

_"He has left this place. He won't return either... I will be leaving too. But I thought I might leave you some clarity before I depart..."_

 

"So you were found in Mirkwood, surrounded by a bunch of red glass? That is a bit strange. But it still makes no sense that you would think Bilbo is your father." Pippin reasoned as they made it to the big green door. Celebrian stared in intrigue. This was the door she had been waiting to see for four years. She swallowed hard as Sam opened the door for her and showed her inside. 

"Well, it has been a pleasure to meet all of you but I am going to wander these halls a while if I have your permission?" she asked after a moment. 

"By all means, please. I won't be but a shout a way if you need anything. I still enjoy caring for the garden." 

Celebrian looked around at the home of Bilbo Baggins. There was the map of Erebor. A large claw, possibly Smaug's. There were many interesting things that Bilbo seemed to have collected over the years of his adventures. She skimmed through many of the disorganized papers but nothing in the entirety of Bag End provided any clue that she was Bilbo's daughter. She pondered what Thranduil had told her as she gazed upon the framed map of Erebor as she sat down for a short rest. She played with a small shard of deep burgundy glass that hung around her neck. Thraduil had given it to her, telling her she had been surrounded that piece and many like it.

He had gone on about some bizarre facts about dragons and wished her luck on her search. She resumed searching and found a large leather-bound book. She opened it curiously.

_There and Back Again: A Hobbit's Tale by Bilbo Baggins_

The words stood out to her and she sat and read for what must have been hours, engrossed in the version the hobbit told in these pages. Sam came by to check on her every once in awhile.

"How goes the search?" 

"I've found very little..." she admitted with a heavy sigh. "The only thing I have managed to learn is that Bilbo Baggins was a very adventurous Hobbit. There is nothing about a child, nor about a possible relationship with any woman in Laketown."

"Mr. Bilbo is still very adventurous, Miss." Sam assured, Celebrian stared at him. 

"Is?" She asked carefully. "You mean he's still alive?" she asked hopefully.

"Yes, Miss." Sam answered politely. Celebrian practically jumped at this news. 

"Where can I find him?" 

"Valinor, Miss. I told you earlier that he set sail for Valinor. A good three weeks ago, I believe." Celebrian held her breath, grabbing her coat and throwing it on haphazardly. 

"I need to get to Valinor!" 

"I wish you all the luck in that, Celebrian. Mr. Bilbo was on the last ship to sail for Valinor. No more ships will ever make the journey." Celebrian frowned. She stood there for a moment before shaking Sam's hand. 

"Thank you so much for your help, Sam. I wish you all forms of happiness. I need to go no. I must find a way to get to Valinor."


	6. An Unexpected Companion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Celebrian, on her quest to find Bilbo, pairs up with a strangely handsome and secretive man to travel to the undying lands. Upon hearing Bilbo's name, the stranger becomes oddly intrigued with her life.

Sam-wise insisted before Celebrian left the Shire that she stay for dinner. She was grateful for the hospitality of the hobbits, especially after sounding so bizarre with her heritage, or at least what she believed her heritage to be. The food had been delicious and Sam, Pippin, and Merry all wished her safe travels and luck. Merry gave her a satchel of food for her journey and Pippin tried to get her to take up smoking a pipe but to no avail. Soon she was off, trekking through the Shire on her way to the Grey Havens. The journey only took a day which was nice, considering how much traveling she had done for the past four years. 

The docks at the Grey Havens were beautiful but they seemed abandoned. She closed her eyes, sitting down and enjoying a meal. She sighed lightly, staring off towards the ocean in thought. She thought about Bilbo's story quietly as she ate. Something felt almost empty in the section about his exploration of Erebor when he met the dragon, as if there was a secret he had wanted to share but hadn't been brave enough to. Her mind wandered to the odd way Thranduil had acted, talking about dragons.

_"Did you know that dragon eggs look as if they're made of glass?"_

__

__

_"I think I read somewhere that some dragons can shift form, but I suppose that could be a legend..."_

Celebrian felt her jaw drop. Had Thranduil been inferring that the dragon that had terrorized Laketown and its inhabitants could be her parent? Suddenly she was pulled out of her thoughts when she heard a twig snap behind her. Celebrian was quick to react, drawing her short sword and holding it against the throat of the intruder. It was a tall, handsome man with black hair and cheekbones so sharp that they could be used as blades. She paused, looking at him. Something felt strangely familiar about him. 

"I'm sorry, to intrude, I was searching for some form of passage to the Undying Lands..." the stranger said, putting his hands up in surrender. Celebrian raised an eyebrow. 

"You're no elf, what business would you have in the Undying Lands?" Celebrian scoffed. 

"Neither are you." the stranger countered in a deep baritone voice with a small smirk. Celebrian glared lightly."But my business is my own."

"Stay out of my mind, wizard." 

"I'm no wizard. I've done too much bad in my life to be such." 

"Then keep your mind reading magic to yourself." 

"I cannot, but if you would prefer it, I won't say my findings aloud." 

"That's even worse! Fine, you may speak my thoughts but don't think that I will be near you long." 

"So what are you exactly?"

"I don't know... I think I am part hobbit, but I found out my heritage four years ago and I'm starting to doubt what my mother was." Celebrian said, not focusing on the details.

"I can't seem to read anything about your mother from your mind."

"I grew up around elves, stranger, if you believe that I haven't learned how to keep some things in my mind out of reach, you'd be mistaken."

"I don't suppose you would lower your blade? I don't mean you any harm." Celebrian stared at her arm before sheathing her sword, keeping her hand on the hilt just in case.

"My apologies, stranger, my adventures have left me with very little trust for those who walk up to me outside of civilization. I hope you understand." 

"I have a suggestion, if you will bare with me for a moment." 

"I am listening but do not think for an instant that I won't refuse your suggestion if it displeases me." Celebrian stated defiantly and the stranger chuckled. 

"Since we both share the same destination, we should travel together. We will be more likely to reach the Undying Lands together than we will be alone." Celebrian stared at this man, barking a laugh.

"You are a cocky man, aren't you?"

"Not at all, if I was cocky, I would simply say that I can get to the Undying Lands before you could even get a boat." 

"Then why don't you?"

"Because I would like to help you." 

"If I'm supposed to appreciate your charity, you're not doing it right." 

"You know, for someone so against me reading your mind, you do speak it very openly."

"Yes, well, I'm out of practice with my social skills. Supposing I do agree to traveling with you, how do you propose we get there so fast?" 

"Do you trust me?"

"Not at all." the stranger smirked.

"Close your eyes anyways." Celebrian held the hilt of her blade firmly before closing her eyes. She heard loud noises, sounds of trees bending, binding, and cracking, and felt curiosity strike her but she respected the stranger's wishes, not peaking despite her urge.

"You may open your eyes now." Celebrian did as told, opening her eyes and gasping as a small boat floated next to the dock. 

"I wish you would tell me how you did that but you won't so I won't bother asking." 

"A wise decision. Do you want to travel with me?"

"Not particularly but I will if you will allow me to..." the stranger laughed at her answer and then nodded.

"Yes, I will allow you to travel with me." he assured, chuckling and moving to sit on the boat. Celebrian followed after him, grabbing her satchel of food before getting on the boat. The trip started out with silence. Celebrian kept her hand on her blade, staring at the other. The stranger steered the small boat but mostly the breeze did all of the work. 

"So then, we've known each other a total of seven hours now and I still don't know your name." the stranger said softly, smirking at the halfling half-breed as he lit a torch so they could see in the dark.

"The feeling is mutual." Celebrian replied, pulling out her dagger and sharpening it casually with a rock with a similar smirk directed at the man.

"My name is Drake." 

"Drake, huh? Your mum liked dragons then I suppose." Celebrian muttered, chuckling. "My name is Celebrian. So what reason would you have to travel to the Undying Lands?"

"I heard a rumor that someone, I know, someone very dear to me that I haven't seen in a very long time now resides there." Drake stated, turning the boat slightly. "What about you?"

"My father is supposedly living there now. I would like to meet him at least once."

"You mentioned earlier that your father was a hobbit. How did a hobbit get the honor of living in the Undying Lands?" 

"I don't know. I imagine it was either his discovery of the one ring or perhaps the fact that he killed a dragon sixty years ago." Drake stared at her in disbelief.

"You're Bilbo Baggins' daughter?!" he exclaimed, unable to break his concentration on her. "Bilbo didn't have any children."

"That's just what I've been told. However, I'm starting to lose faith in that statement as well."

"Who is your mother supposedly?" Celebrian bit her lip, looking at Drake nervously, knowing what his reaction would be. 

"I... have been thinking it may be Smaug..." Drake started choking and staring at her like she had grown two heads. Celebrian sighed. "Yes, I get that reaction a lot." 

"You're saying that I'm- I mean Smaug is supposedly your mother?" 

"Why did you amend your sentence?" 

"I didn't." 

"I'm fairly certain that you did." 

"I'm fairly certain you're wrong." 

"Be honest with me, Drake." Celebrian said, staring at the man. "You know something and I want in." Drake looked at Celebrian with a sigh, sitting down.

"I am Smaug, Firedrake of the North, terror of Laketown, and pillager of Erebor." 

"If you're Smaug, shouldn't you be, I don't know, about a thousand times larger?" Drake chuckled, nodding. 

"I figured you'd ask just such a thing." he muttered, taking off his shirt and jumping into the water.

"What are you doing exactly?"

"Proving my point." Drake swam out a good distance before closing his eyes. Celebrian was not amused by what she assumed were Drake's shenanigans. 

"I don't know what you're trying to prove exact-" Celebrian's sentence cut off with a gasp. Suddenly Drake was gone and replaced with a massive dragon covered in red scales.

"Do you believe me now, Celebrian?" the dragon that was without a doubt Smaug questioned. 

"How are you alive? The legends said you were dead!" Celebrian muttered, Smaug sighed and shifted back to his human form, swimming back to the boat.

"Simple, Bilbo helped me to fake my death." 

"Why would he do that?"

"I don't know. I'd like to believe that it was because we had some sort of connection but... it's been such a long time, I'm almost afraid of meeting him again, assuming he's actually living in the Undying Lands."

"I understand your fear. I don't know what I'm going to do when I tell him that I'm his daughter. He's probably going to take me for some loony."

"So... what exactly leads you to believe that I of all people am your mother?" Smaug asked softly, raising an eyebrow. 

"Well, Thranduil vaguely mentioned things about dragons when he told me the story of how I was found. I thought it was ridiculous at first, but when I found out how the elves discovered me..."

"Your mind changed slightly?" Celebrian nodded. "How were you found?"

"I was found in Mirkwood, surrounded by shards of red glass, the same color of your scales, actually. King Thranduil gave me a piece of the glass that the elf who raised me grabbed with her when she took me in." She murmured, showing Smaug the shard of red glass that hung around her neck. Smaug stared at her with bewilderment. "So I guess, what I've been thinking is false...."

"Not in the slightest." Celebrian stared at Smaug with the same bewilderment. "Whatever you've deduced about myself and Bilbo being... more than intimate friends is very much the truth. I did travel through Mirkwood directly after faking my death to escape the crimes against my old life. For Bilbo, actually. I don't know if he felt the same but I loved him. I still do. Odd as it is. He was the first person to show me kindness, to accept me even though he knew my true form. Call it sentiment or whatever you will but it made me hopeful. That is a shard of a dragon egg, there is no mistaking it. A dragon egg always matches the color of the scales of the dragon who laid the egg. That color is undeniably the same as my scales. There was one instance where I could've laid an egg in Mirkwood. I was escaping when I was suddenly overtaken with pain. I believe if I did have any time to lay an egg that's when I would have most likely done it."

Celebrian took in this information silently, just nodding as she processed it all. Smaug was nothing like the stories of old. Smaug was instead wise, compassionate, regretful of the wrongdoings he had caused and Celebrian could sense the truth in his words. She closed her eyes, resting her head against Smaug's shoulder. Smaug looked at her with a soft expression. 

"Why did you leave me in Mirkwood?" she asked finally. 

"I didn't even realized I had laid you. I was delirious from the pain and so as soon as it was over, I moved on without looking back. I am so sorry." Celebrian shifted her head slightly to look at Smaug. 

"I think I forgive you..." she murmured sweetly. "When we reach the Undying Lands, let's approach Bilbo together, if it's alright with you?" 

"I would like that very much, my daughter."

Celebrian fell asleep shortly after their agreement was struck. She slept well for the first time since her journey began. A doubt in her mind had been resolved, her quest was nearing its end, and peace filled her heart as well as the lands of Middle Earth. The only fear she had now was whether or not Bilbo Baggins would actually believe a word either of them said. Smaug, too, was at peace with the world. Having another person, his daughter, give him the strength to approach the hobbit he had never managed to stop loving for the first time in sixty-five years lifted a large burden off his shoulders. Soon he would see Bilbo Baggins again and he only hoped that the hobbit remembered him or that he even wanted to see him.


	7. What's in a Past

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bilbo thinks back on his life, disappointed in how his life turned out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so sorry for taking an eternity to update. Life got in the way. I'm back now with regular updates on the way.

It had taken a while before Bilbo could call Valinor home. The elves had built him a lovely home, not different from the one he had left behind, for his part in finding the ring and all of the adventures he had done. Frodo had his own place, which left him lots of time to think back on his life. It was an awful habit, but one the hobbit had taken up despite knowing it would do no good.

Every hour of everyday, while the almost mythical air of Valinor purified him, he would consider his decisions, his past, and how it had changed him. He looked much younger now, living in Valinor did that, but truthfully, he still felt old. Not physically, just mentally and emotionally. No, he had his old vitality and strength back and spent a great deal of time tending a garden as he thought. Had he done the right thing?

The way his heart pounded when he spoke with Smaug, surely the dragon had known? But yet... it had been well over sixty-five years since he'd met the dragon and he had never seen a thing of him. That was what had hurt most of all. Perhaps he had mistaken fear for something else? That didn't make any sense either. After all, one doesn't usually feel disappointed when a source of fear doesn't show up at their door, or help it escape prosecution, for that matter.

There was only one emotion it could've been, one emotion that it had been: love. He had fallen for a dragon and Smaug the destroyer had used him for it. That had been the conclusion he had come to. He felt like an idiot for it, and despite that, he wasn't sure he'd do it any differently. The sole fact that Smaug lived changed nothing. He'd been on countless adventures. When he heard of a dragon terrorizing some place, he'd drop everything to go investigate on a whim. It never was Smaug. That disappointed him too. The fact that he couldn't even reprimand the firedrake for taking his heart, chewing it up, and spitting it back up on his lap made him angry.

Bilbo never once took it out on anyone. Not directly anyways. He found that as the years passed, he hated company. Even Frodo had been annoying most days, not that it was his fault. He was just an irritable old man with a broken heart. Yes, hobbits all over the Shire would gather to here of his adventures but honestly, he felt like he was lying through his teeth with most of them. He didn't claim to be a dragon hunter, because he wasn't. He'd never killed a dragon in his life. He never spoke about any dragon he had wandered off after except Smaug, and telling everyone that the Firedrake of the North was dead, that was a lie as far as he knew.

It was difficult to say whether or not Smaug really was alive or not. He supposed he could've been wrong in his assumption that a black arrow shot by anything other than a dwarven windlance wouldn't do anything to the dragon, that he had sent Smaug to his death. That hurt more than thinking that the dragon had used him. The thought that Smaug was rotting at the bottom of a stupid lake, that he had felt the same way but been killed, that was a thought that pained Bilbo more than anything. But he never really knew, did he? Either scenario was equally plausible, but neither left much room for optimism.

He should've been happy too. The world was saved and all the people in it, but the price had been the only souvenir of his time with Smaug that he possessed. Without it, he knew he would've died at least a decade ago, and maybe that would've been better. At least he wouldn't be suffering with memories of a love that probably wasn't reciprocated. Bilbo Baggins, the fool.

_The battle was won and though there had been many casualties, Bilbo's heart swelled with hope. Somewhere out there, Smaug was wandering the Earth, heading West to meet him. Thorin, Kili, and Fili's funerals had been hard. They had been his friends, and to see them wiped from the world was disheartening and yet his mind still wandered to eyes that seemed to change colors depending on the light, and scarlet scales, and that deep baritone voice that even now sent shivers down his spine._

_Bofur had noticed that Bilbo had taken to sitting at the gate of Erebor to look out longingly at the horizon. Of course, he had. The one dwarf who regularly believed in him on his journey, the one who talked to him about how he felt, noticed him looking off at the distance absently, why wouldn't he?_

_"Do you miss him?" the dwarf asked, looking at Bilbo who hadn't quite noticed him yet._

_"Of course, I do... I'm an idiot for it but I can't stop thinking about him..." Bilbo answered thoughtlessly. He then realized what he had said and that they were talking about two different people. Bofur had to be talking about Thorin and Bilbo was most definitely talking about Smaug without a doubt in his mind._

_"I didn't realized you care for him so deeply." Bofur said, sitting next to Bilbo and staring out at the mountains in the distance._

_"Oh, I was talking about someone else..." Bilbo admitted, a small blush creeping up his neck. "Don't misunderstand, I do miss Thorin, but I didn't feel that way towards him. In the end, all he cared about was reclaiming the Arkenstone. I know he considered me a friend, and I considered him one too, but I find myself grieving more about how he mistreated our friendship than the fact that he's gone..."_

_"Who were you thinking about?" Bofur asked after a long moment of silence. He looked at Bilbo curiously, trying to figure out what was going on in the hobbit's head. Bilbo's blush grew and he looked down at his lap, swallowing hard._

_"Smaug..." The dwarf looked at him in disbelief but then settled back into a caring expression._

_"Aye, I understand." Bofur said with a smile. "You miss the adventure of it all, how could you not? It was your first adventure and a great deal of it was tied to the beast."_

_Bilbo shook his head. "He wasn't a beast... At least, not to me. I got to talk with him, Bofur. We must've talked for hours. Well, I guess I did most of the talking at first but he was great. Good, even..."_

_"You talked with Smaug?" Bilbo nodded slowly. "If you talked with him for that long, what did you say that riled him to attack you?"_

_"He didn't really attack me. It was all an act..." Bilbo admitted, biting his lip. "We planned the whole thing out and he faked his death. He's out there somewhere, just walking about..."_

_"Bilbo..." Bofur started, not sure what to feel. "You're telling me that Smaug's alive?"_

_"Yes." That one word sent anger through Bofur and the dwarf stood._

_"Thorin is dead!" he shouted, grabbing the hobbit by the collar of his coat. "Thorin died!"_

_"Smaug didn't kill him." Bilbo said evenly, trying his best to stand his ground. "Even if Smaug were dead, it wouldn't change anything. Azog killed Thorin, and Smaug's death would've done nothing to prevent that."_

_Bofur let go of Bilbo, shoving him away and looking at the ground. Deep down, he knew the hobbit was right. But what was there to ensure that Smaug wouldn't return to Erebor and slaughter them to reclaim the gold._

_"I won't tell the other's that you sided with Smaug, but I don't want to talk to you ever again, Bilbo Baggins." Bofur stated seriously, marching down the steps and returning to his room. And indeed, Bofur did avoid most conversations with him until he left for the Shire again. Later he had received a letter from Bofur, apologizing for his cold behavior towards the hobbit, but he could tell that Bofur was still wary of the dragon wandering Middle Earth._

It felt like an eternity since that day, and maybe it was a lifetime ago. Bilbo could hardly be considered the same man. He had changed a great deal, his views of the world were different. Now to him, the hope and awe he had felt, staring off into the horizon was replaced with despair and disappointment. He didn't look out at the horizon anymore. It was just a reminder. Instead, he had taken to sitting in his armchair and staring at the fire. It still reminded him of Smaug. Everything did. The last sixty-five years, he'd pretty much dedicated himself to finding the bloody dragon.

He took a swig from the goblet next to him and let out a loud sigh to the lonely room. Elven wine. It was good, but it didn't do anything to drown his sorrow. He leaned back in his armchair and looked up at the ceiling, trying to make sense of all the feelings in his heart and the thoughts in his head.

He almost regretted going to Valinor. By some strange course of luck, should Smaug be out there looking for him still, he wasn't going to find him now and there was no way to get back to find him, and even if he did, he'd just age beyond recognition and the dragon probably wouldn't have changed a bit. His mind was always filled with doubts that overwhelmed any hope his heart still held on to.

Another swig of wine and then a knock at the door. It was faint, so quiet in fact that Bilbo mistook it for the fire flicking over the wood and causing it to pop and creak.

Another knock, this one less timid. With purpose. Bilbo shoved down the temptation to tell the solicitor to go away and stood slowly, a little wobbly on his feet from all the wine he had downed that evening. He padded to the door, trying to decide if he wanted to answer it or not. Maybe the person had left.

A final series of knocks disproved that and Bilbo sighed in resignation and opened the door. He had expected it to be an elf. Then again, elves had manners and never came calling this late in the evening. So Frodo then. It was nice to see his nephew but he would prefer to be drinking.

Except it wasn't Frodo. It was a young lady who stood half a foot taller than him and a taller man who he knew in an instant.


	8. A Family Reunion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bilbo learns of Celebrian's origins and discusses his feelings with Smaug.

The voyage to Valinor seemed tediously long. It had taken weeks to get to the Undying Lands but Celebrian couldn't think of anyone she would rather journey with. Smaug was an amiable companion, surprisingly. Though as they talked more and more and learned about each other it had become evident that Smaug had spent the last sixty-five years perfecting compassion and etiquette. He was a skilled fisherman even in his human form and usually caught their meals for them, and cooked them for that matter, too.

Celebrian found Smaug's dedication to be inspirational. The entire span of her life, he had been searching for the love of his. Her parents had only been together a couple hours but Smaug seemed like there was no one in Middle Earth he cared more deeply for. What a miraculous relationship, that two very different people could wind up together and for a love so passionate to be born at least on one side. Truly, it was a miracle.

She had asked him about Bilbo, what he was like. Of course, he couldn't speak about how he had grown and changed over the last sixty-five years, but his eyes would light up with joy and pride every time he spoke about Bilbo. From what she could gather, he was a clever hobbit with an untamed adventurous side though she had figured out most of that from when she had explored Bag End.

Finally, lanterns dotted the nearby horizon, giving signal that their long journey was at its end. Celebrian could feel her heart racing as she helped Smaug pull the boat to shore and keep it from sailing off. It had taken them not at all long to find an elf and they carefully asked for directions to Bilbo Baggins abode. There they stood in front of a green door that seemed comfortably familiar to both of them. It vaguely looked like the door at Bag End which both of them had come across before in their search for the hobbit.

After a shared glance, Smaug mustered up the courage and knocked on the door. No response. After a minute more Celebrian knocked again anxiously. The door opened and a rosy cheeked hobbit with curly red hair opened the door. Celebrian's brow furrowed. This could not be Bilbo Baggins, he looked much too young. Bilbo Baggins was over a century old. She looked up at Smaug but the expression on his face did nothing to confirm her doubts. He was lost, looking longingly at the hobbit. So this was Bilbo Baggins then.

"What are you doing here?" Bilbo asked in a cold tone, looking at Smaug with narrowed eyes. Smaug's courage seemed to fail him and he looked to Celebrian for help. Bilbo was obviously angry at Smaug for something. What it could've been though, she hadn't a clue. Still, she wasn't going to waste this opportunity to meet and speak with her father. She stepped forward and the hobbit's gaze moved to her. It was a scrutinizing stare as he tried his best to riddle out who this strange, misfit girl was and what she was doing on his doorstep.

"Mr. Baggins, sir. My name is Celebrian Tuk. At least, that was the name given to me by Thranduil, King of Mirkwood, and Galadriel the wise." Bilbo's expression seemed to soften ever so slightly at the mention of the elves he was familiar with. "You are already familiar with my companion, Smaug. We would very much like it if you would invite us in so that we can talk. We've had a long journey..." 

Bilbo considered this a moment before opening his door wider and stepping to the side to give room to enter. Celebrian nodded a thanks and stepped inside but as Smaug moved to do the same, Bilbo blocked his way.

"Not you." Bilbo said sternly, voice cracking a bit at the end. "You stay here and after I've talked with Ms. Tuk, I would like an explanation. You may wait here on my doorstep and you had best be here when I open this door again."

With that, Bilbo stepped inside and closed the door behind him, hesitating a moment as he gathered up the strength he had lost in seeing the man he had loved. He couldn't help but smile just a little as Celebrian continued to look around the entry room with curiosity before looking at him more closely.

"So what can I help you with, Ms. Tuk?" Bilbo asked, padding into his sitting room and sitting down on his comfortable armchair to take another sip of his wine, pouring a glass for her. Celebrian took it with another thankful nod, taking a little sip. She may need more depending on how this all went. She didn't feel particularly brave. Smaug was fine to approach. It wasn't unpleasant or frightening when she had told him of her lineage but Bilbo seemed utterly unapproachable. It was obvious he hadn't let anyone get close to him in a long time.

"Well..." She started hesitantly which only made Bilbo sigh and rub his temple as he tried desperately to gather patience he didn't seem to have. "Mr. Baggins... I have reason to believe that you're my father." Celebrian stated bluntly, trying to be kind on the hobbits patience, or lack-there-of. Bilbo choked on his wine, picking the worst moment to down half of the contents of his cup.

"I'm sorry, but that isn't possible. The only time I've ever... It wasn't... A child definitely couldn't have resulted from that particular union..." Bilbo said carefully, running his fingers through his curls. He definitely was not drunk enough for this.

"I am quite aware of the details of this union. Not the intimate nature of it, simply who your partner was." Celebrian replied coolly, staring at him with an even expression. "Smaug has assured me that there's no mistake. I am his and I am yours. I'm also not the first person to come to this conclusion."

Bilbo stared at her quietly. Well... she did seem to look an awful lot like the two of them, he supposed but he wasn't satisfied by this. "Why would he say that?"

"Probably because I was discovered in Mirkwood surrounded by dragon eggshells about nine months after the Battle of Five Armies as an infant." Celebrian answered bluntly. "The shards matched his scales, we've confirmed it multiple times on our journey together and not only that but he also remembers an instance where he laid an egg. My egg. In Mirkwood, and he, like you hasn't had any other partner."

Bilbo felt his heart skip a beat. It was nice to know that Smaug hadn't been with anyone else but that wasn't what had caused that. He was a father. An actual father. He could scarcely believe it but something in his gut told him this was true. He stood slowly, walking over to her and touching her hand as if to reassure himself that it wasn't all a dream.

"How long have you known?"

"I found out nearly six years ago but I got delayed searching for you when I made a stop in Riverdale." Celebrian explained her adventure and Bilbo listened quietly. As much as she wanted to learn about her father, it was late and her mother was still sitting on the cobblestone outside. She said a goodbye and left to find a place to stay for the night, not wanting to intrude on the reunion of her parents, no matter what attitude it would have.

When the door opened again, Smaug was jolted from his thought, looking up to see the hobbit standing next to him as he waved goodbye to their daughter. He sighed a contented sigh, pleased to know that his daughter was just as adventurous as he was, and clever too. When she faded from view, Bilbo stood there a moment longer before looking down at Smaug, a cold air returning to his features.

"You can come inside now, but I don't imagine you'll be staying long." he said simply, walking back to his door and standing to the side of the entrance. Smaug shoved down his panic and stood to bend as he entered the home of the man he still loved so deeply. It seemed like Bilbo didn't reciprocate though. He sighed softly, standing awkwardly about the room.

"Where have you been?!" Bilbo shouted at him when the door was closed, bringing a fist to Smaug's jaw with a loud crack. "Do you have any idea how long I waited? Do you have the slightest clue what waiting for you did to me? I lost my mind and went out into the world to search for you!"

"Do you think I ever stopped looking for you?!" Smaug yelled back, a tightness seizing his chest. "I have been trying to find you for the last sixty-six years. What? Did you think I just used you as an escape? You mean more to me than all the gold and jewels in the world! Of course I've been searching for you."

Bilbo went quiet, blinking up at Smaug in surprise. He leaned back against his front door as a means to support himself. He never could've guess that all this time Smaug had really been searching for him. He felt like an idiot as he just stood there and stared at the man who had inadvertently broke his heart.

"Bilbo, I have scoured Middle Earth searching for you. There isn't a stretch of land I haven't been to in hopes of finding you. I am madly in love with you and I have been since the very first day that we ever met... If you don't feel the same way, say the word and I'll go. You'll never hear from me again if that's your wish..."

Again, Bilbo stared but he pressed against the door defensively. It would be a snowy day in Mordor before he let Smaug leave his life. He thought carefully about what to say. Smaug loved him. He had actually said it. He felt tears well up in his eyes and he rubbed them away roughly with his sleeve before looking into those eyes that he had fallen in love with all those years ago. There was nothing but honesty and a flicker of nervous hope. It was very difficult to doubt Smaug's feelings now. Smaug opened his mouth to speak once more but Bilbo cut him off.

"It has taken me a long, long time to get over you..." he started, carefully choosing his words. Smaug bowed his head in defeat. That wasn't at all the response every fiber of his being had been hoping for. "So long that I still haven't managed to do it properly..." Hope once more flickered to life in Smaug's chest. "I spent years wishing you'd walk through my front door. And now here you are, in my home, telling me words I've been longing to hear my whole life, just shortly after I gave up believing that was ever going to happen...

"Smaug, I have waited for you for so long, I can hardly remember what life before you was even like. Every thought in my mind, every dream, every breath. Every part of me. It's all been yours since the moment we met. You've tormented me far more than any person I've ever met, which is saying something considering how much of a prick Gandalf can be about some things. Bastard's always known how I felt about you..."

"Bilbo-"

"I'm not finished..." Bilbo stated firmly. "I am the biggest idiot in all of Middle Earth because I have spent the last sixty-six years in love with you, trying to get you out of my mind, and failing miserably at every turn. You have provided me with the greatest adventure I've ever had the pleasure of going on, you've given me a clever, skilled, and beautiful daughter, and given me the gift of being able to even see you again, something I didn't realize I considered more impossible than the other things you've given me.

"I have found myself again after years of being lost, alone, and afraid that other people would realize just how lost and alone I have become without you. If you leave, I have no hope of ever actually being Bilbo Baggins again, because I can't be him without you... I'm forced to pretend to be him and I can't do it anymore. I need you, Smaug. I love you more than I can ever express and I would be miserable if you left... So don't leave. Stay here with me..."

Bilbo walked over to Smaug, taking the man's hand in his own and kneeling. "Please don't ever leave me again..." And Smaug stared down at Bilbo, heart pounding against his rib cage as tears rolled down his cheeks. He knelt down next to Bilbo and pulled him into an embrace, burying his face into the crook of Bilbo's neck.

"Never again..." he whispered in agreement, relief washing over him in overwhelming waves. "I love you so much, Bilbo..."

"I love you too, Smaug..."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One more chapter to go. Sorry for the little bit of angst. I promise the next chapter will be filled with fluff and lots of smut.


	9. Peace of Heart

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Celebrian reunites with Tauriel before deciding to go one one final adventure, leaving Smaug and Bilbo to revel in each other's company.

There was a certain unease that Celebrian was feeling concerning the reunion of her parents. It was easy to tell that Bilbo had been rather furious at Smaug, though she could not fathom the reason. It was difficult to see them in such a state.

During her voyage with Smaug, she had developed a sort of affinity for love, believing that if Smaug and Bilbo could find such a powerful love, she had just as much a chance. But with the tease state she had left them in, she found it easy to find herself disheartened from the fantasy of love. Smaug and been naive and it had probably hurt him so badly. She was going to be there to support him but she wasn't sure how long it would take for them to clear things up so she found herself wandering around Valinor with no particular destination in mind.

It was late so not many elves were still out. In her meandering she came across an elf or two but for the most part she was alone to think, which was fine. She needed to think and it had been months since she had been on her own. Mostly she thought about her parents, wondering if Smaug would be alright or if she should turn back now and make sure he was okay. But all thoughts of her parents disappeared when she saw a familiar elf sitting on a small hill staring up at the stars.

It was Tauriel. She had found the elf that raised her and she felt a jolt of contentment seize her. Yes, she had met her parents now, and she had formed sort of a bond with Smaug but she still knew very little about her father and such a distance seemed, well, troubling. But Tauriel was alive, something she had never been sure about since she left Mirkwood at a young age. Her feet were moving towards the elf before she even realized it, she was hugging the elf from behind.

Naturally, Tauriel was a little startled by a hug she had not realized was coming. Who was this mysterious person that was hugging her? She knew nobody who would do such a thing. Legolas was still over in Middle Earth, doing what she had not the faintest idea. Not only that but even if he were in Valinor, it was very unlikely he would hug her. She turned to look and saw her daughter and her heart welled with joy.

"Celebrian, my sweet thing, I thought I would never lay eyes on you again!" the elf exclaimed, turning around to hug her daughter. "My, how you've grown."

"Hello, amil." Celebrian replied, feeling tears stream down her face. "I know who I am now."

"And who are you, my dearest daughter?"

"I am a hobbit. And I am a human. And somewhere in my heart, I am an elf." Though, now that she considered everything she was, she supposed some part of her was dragon.

"You discovered your origins?"

"Yes, my parents are reuniting as we speak. Well, I hope so, anyways... my father did not seem to happy to see my mother...

"Your mother is still alive?"

"It's complicated but yes."

"I am happy to hear that you've gotten the opportunity to meet both of your parents."

"Me too... I just... I have doubts now..."

"Doubts about what, Celebrian?"

"About love. Do you still love Kili?"

"I do. I still love him very much, but I cannot grieve him forever." Tauriel said, a soft but slightly sad smile on her lips. "When, grief overtakes you, it's hard to consider what the one you love would've wanted. I've had a lot of time to think about it, and I think... that Kili would wish I remember him with a smile."

"It's just... When I came over here with one of my parents, he spoke so fervently about how he loved my other parent. But when the two of them reunited, I felt disheartened. It seemed his feelings were not reciprocated and I... I lost hope..."

"Let them be tonight, my dear. Doubt no longer. Tomorrow will come swiftly and you may see what changes of heart there could be. Why don't you stay with me tonight?"

Celebrian hesitated a moment, her mind drifting to her mother and how her father had greeted him. Would Smaug really be okay? She would try to pick up the pieces of his broken heart tomorrow. Sleep was a necessity and a place to stay this evening sounded delightful. She nodded and she followed Tauriel home, heart still full of questions that hopefully would be answered tomorrow.

* * *

Smaug and Bilbo stayed in a tight embrace on the floor for a long time, neither daring to move in case it broke the spell. In case it was a dream, fragile and fickle, likely to change as soon as they did. But eventually, Smaug felt a sort of courage fill him, and his fingers slid up Bilbo's back to nest themselves in his hair. Bilbo smiled, leaning in closer to Smaug, closing his eyes for a moment to just appreciate the sensation of being held.

"You're sure this isn't a dream?" the hobbit asked, wrapping his arms around Smaug's shoulders.

"I can't say for sure... I've had so many dreams just like this..."

"I never would've pinned you as the romantic type."

"Well, dragons mate for life..."

"Oh, my goodness, you have become such a _sap_!"

"You made me one." Smaug retorted with a small chuckle which proved contagious for soon Bilbo was giggling too.

Fingertips began tentatively exploring bodies and finally Smaug couldn't take it anymore.

"It's been over sixty-five years since I kissed you last... please, let me kiss you."

"I thought you'd never ask." Bilbo replied, pulling Smaug into a passionate kiss.

Smaug shifted slightly, carefully maneuvering the hobbit to the floor to kiss him some more. Bilbo lay pliant, kissing back as if his life depended on it. Smaug was here. And most importantly, Smaug was his. It seemed like they stayed that way for hours, and it was quite possible that they did, simply relishing in each other's company, in the touches, and the slow but heated collision of lips.

"Smaug?"

"Mmmm?" the firedrake replied, kissing over Bilbo's neck as he listened for Bilbo's thoughts.

"I... think it's my turn..."

"Your turn..?"

Bilbo only nodded with a small blush appearing on his cheeks.

"Oh... That's what you meant." Smaug murmured with a sort of predatory gaze, starting to work on unbuttoning Bilbo's shirt. He kissed over the hobbit's skin as it was revealed, head lowering over his love's nipple so he could flick his tongue over it. Bilbo keened, his fingers burying themselves in Smaug's curls.

Smaug slipped his arms under Bilbo and carefully lifted the halfling off of the floor, kissing him tenderly before getting directions to the bedroom. The bed was a bit small for the man to sleep on stretched out but it wasn't exactly something he minded with the knowledge that he could curl around the man he loved. Smaug set Bilbo on the bed, sliding between his legs to continue kissing him. The hobbit sat up a moment to shrug off his vest and shirt, laying back down half exposed for the man he wanted to spend the rest of his life with, however long that was.

With a great deal of nervous anticipation, Smaug took off his own shirt, throwing it onto the floor next to Bilbo's. This was different from their first time, more meaningful, less hurried, and filled with a tentative nature that left their skin feeling slightly tingly with each connection. Bilbo explored Smaug's skin with the same thoroughness as the his lover, wishing to know everything now that they had the time to.

A quirk of Smaug's skin that became one of Bilbo's favorite parts of him was a small scale-shaped scar that rested under the dragon's left arm, an obvious homage to the missing scale they had used to fake his death. He lifted Smaug's arm to kiss over it lightly.

"That tickles..." Smaug mumbled, at Bilbo with a tender expression. The hobbit playfully pinched his side with a smirk and the former calamity let out a giggle. "St-stop!"

The taller man pinned Bilbo's hands above his head and began kissing his way down the shorter man's body again, his grip loose. Slowly he released the halfling's hands to remove Bilbo's pants. He climbed over him, toeing off his boots and then removing his own trousers. He lay pressed their hips together, grinding down on against Bilbo with a soft moan. The friction was indeed very pleasant. Bilbo let out his own moans, rolling them so Smaug was on his back.

Confusion flickered over Smaug's features, he had been sure that Bilbo wanted to be taken, so what was he up to? Bilbo kissed over the dragon's furrowed brow before kissing over Smaug's torso until he came to the dragon's hard cock. He took a moment to admire it with his hands, taking in the size and feeling himself shudder pleasantly at the thought of having Smaug's rather sizable cock inside him. He licked a long stripe down the firedrake's member to his balls and began sucking lightly on the skin, watching the man's head tip back as he groaned.

"B-Bilbo..." he couldn't help but praise the hobbit, absolutely enthralled with the sight he was greeted with when he looked down. And then Bilbo's clever tongue was licking up to the head of his cock, swirling over the tip, and licking over the slit. It felt so good. His hand rested on Bilbo's head and then the hobbit enveloped his mouth around the head of his cock, sucking once again. He took into his mouth as much of the man's cock as he could without choking, nose almost touching Smaug's stomach and the dragon had to hold back the urge to push Bilbo all the way down.

Bilbo started bobbing his head eagerly, sucking and occasionally pausing in his technique to lap over the slit or the edges of the head. This wasn't how he wanted Smaug to come undone though. He wanted to feel Smaug's throbbing cock fill him up with his seed. He moved back up to kiss Smaug, letting the man taste his precum on his tongue and it was obvious how much he enjoyed it with the pur-like rumble that left him.

Smaug rolled them over once again so that Bilbo was underneath him and lowered himself to kiss over Bilbo's entrance, licking over it as he gripped Bilbo's own throbbing member and stroked him. He gave him a few strokes before his hand slid down to the puckered hole and he pressed his thumb against it to tease the hobbit. And it worked, Bilbo was moaning some absolute filth to him a moment later.

"Smaug, pl-please- ah!- I need you inside me... I need it!"

Those words went straight to the dragon's cock and he licked over his fingers in order to went them before pressing one of them inside Bilbo. And Bilbo delighted in it. His back arched and he shifted his hips back onto Smaug's finger until it was completely inside him. It took his a moment to get used to the sensation but soon he was rolling his hips in order to encourage Smaug to stretch him further.

Another finger, all the way in and the a short pause to let the hobbit adjust once again. With a nod from Bilbo, Smaug hooked his finger and watched as a full body gasp escaped the halfling. He spread his digits, scissoring his mate open. Occasionally, Smaug's fingertips would brush against a sensitive bundle of nervous inside Bilbo, making him moan lewdly in please with a deliciously naughty praise of Smaug's name.

One final finger, another short pause and Bilbo was ready to scream at Smaug to just hurry up and take him. The teasing proving to be too much for the hobbit's sanity to handle. His cock was aching with need, as was his eager entrance, and Smaug's member was similarly desperate for some friction.

Smaug shifted slightly, grabbing a plush pillow from the head of the bed and stuffing it haphazardly below the hobbit's hips. Bilbo looked up at his lover with wide eyes, pupils blown so wide it was almost difficult to see the blue of his irises. The halfling looked absolutely breathtaking, lips red and swollen from hours of kissing, those incredible eyes watching the dragon's every move, and he looked so pretty and ready to be taken with the thin layer of sweat coating his skin making him look absolutely irresistible. He lined his cock up with Bilbo's entrance and pressed in slowly, air rushing out of his lungs as he tried to adjust to how tight the hobbit was.

Moans and soft panting filled the room as they both adjusted to sensations that neither were accustom to. Bilbo ran his fingers over Smaug's chest and then his shoulders, biting his lip.

"Smaug... please... please move..." he begged, rolling his hips once more in hopes to get Smaug to start bucking his hips. He groaned softly. " _Please_."

Please. That word had never sounded so incredibly dirty before. And the way Bilbo moved his hips was almost enough to make Smaug come right there. He forced himself to calm down. He closed his eyes, starting to grind his hips into Bilbo's.

Bilbo mewled happily, legs wrapping around Smaug's waist and the action only encouraged the dragon to buck his hips quicker. He pulled almost all the way out before practically slamming back into Bilbo who cried out. Smaug paused in his actions to cup the hobbit's cheek, looking at him with concern.

"Did I hurt you?'

"N-no, so good... please... do it again..."

And that was all Smaug needed to start fucking Bilbo at a confident pace. Bilbo loved every moment of it, groaning and moaning Smaug's name. Almost every thrust, the head of Smaug's cock collided and rubbed against Bilbo's prostate, causing him to let out another loud cry of pleasure. The sound of skin slapping skin filled the room, accompanied by moans from both men as they succumbed to their desires. The hobbit's toes were curling as heat pooled in his belly. He knew he was going to enjoy making love with Smaug like this, but he hadn't expected that he might come without being touched. And the thought of it only brought him closer to the edge.

"Sm-Sm-ah!- Smaug... I'm -oh, that's- I'm cl-close!" Bilbo managed to get out, hands on the dragon's shoulders. His grip tightened slightly as Smaug gave a particularly rough thrust in response. And with that thrust, Bilbo couldn't last any longer, shooting ribbons of white between them as he rode out his orgasm on Smaug's cock.

Smaug's orgasm came as a complete surprise to him, unable to last the moment Bilbo became impossibly tighter around him, he let out a cry of ecstasy punctuated with the hobbit's name and buried himself balls deep inside his love. His mind was blank as his cock throbbed and released seed deep inside the hobbit and Bilbo only derived more pleasure from it, feeling over sensitive from the sheer force of his orgasm.

They laid there panting for a while in silence, both comfortable and sated as they attempted to regain their breath. Smaug carefully pulled out of Bilbo, also removing the pillow from under his hips and curling around the hobbit. They locked eyes and just stared at each other for a while, hearts pounding and filled with love and contentment. It was Smaug who spoke first.

"I wasn't sure what it would feel like, taking you, but it was better than I could've ever imagined..."

"I'm just as surprised by the pleasure I experienced from it, believe me."

"You didn't think you'd enjoy it? Then why did you suggest -"

"It wasn't that. I just didn't think I would be able to come without being touched." There was another comfortable silence and then they both started giggling. "Is this going to become a regular thing for us? Having sex and then giggling about it?"

"It does seem to be a common occurrence, doesn't it?"

"Alright, why are you laughing this time?"

"I think it's amusing that even when we try to take things slow, we end up like this anyways." Smaug admitted, smiling affectionately.

"Yeah, well, I think you're a bad influence on me." Bilbo chuckled, resting his head on Smaug's chest and letting out a happy sigh.

It didn't take long for Bilbo to fall asleep, listening to the rhythmic sound of the dragon's heartbeat, sated, and the happiest he had been in years. And Smaug, after covering them with the blanket, fell asleep comfortably too, finally in the arms of the person he loved most. There was no need to profess their love before drifting to unconsciousness because they both knew how much the other one loved them.

* * *

A knock on the door prompted Bilbo to open one eye, glancing around and enjoying the sight of his sleeping lover, haphazardly wrapped around him. Relief flooded him as he realized that the night before wasn't just a fantasy his previously broken heart had invented for him. Another knock. He carefully slipped out of bed and put on some trousers and a dressing gown. Another knock.

"Just a minute." Bilbo called as he padded his way through the hall and to the front door. He opened the door and was greeted with the sight of his daughter and the smile that had been on his face since the moment he woke up widened. "Celebrian, hello. Did you... Did you find a place to stay for the night? I feel like a complete idiot for not offering you a room."

"It's fine. I stayed with the elf who raised me." Celebrian assured, rather surprised to see such a genuine smile on her father's face. His movements and manner all completely different from the evening before. "Have you seen Smaug? it's just, I've searched a great deal of Valinor this morning and I haven't see him yet. I'm a bit concerned."

"Why didn't you search here first?" Bilbo wondered curiously.

"Well, it's just... you seemed to be in such a bad mood last night, I didn't think that he'd stay here."

"No, he's here. He's still sleeping. You want to come in? We haven't had breakfast yet so I can fix all of us up something."

Celebrian was surprised to hear that Smaug had stayed here and yet, somehow it made her incredibly glad. She nodded, stepping inside with a quiet thanks. Bilbo guided her to the kitchen and started cooking meals for all of them, carrying on a conversation with his daughter as he did. And Celebrian was still in shock and awe about how different a man Bilbo had become over night.

"Tell me something, Bilbo. You're different. Why is that?"

"Different? I suppose you're referring to my demeanor?" Celebrian nodded in confirmation. "My apologies. I should've been like this last night when we met but instead I was a bitter, old man who had spent more than half of his life waiting to see the love of his life again. And when I saw Smaug, it should've helped me feel better, but honestly I was angry at him for taking so long."

"If you were angry with him, why let him stay here?"

"We worked together last night to resolve our conflict. That's what you do when you love someone, you forgive and you compromise." Bilbo explained, starting to cook some eggs on a pan. "I'm sorry for leaving you so concerned about Smaug. That wasn't at all the impression I should've left for you. I should've made you feel like I was going to take care of him, not made you think I was going to throw him out."

"It's alright. You were hurt and alone."

"Why are you forgiving me just like that?"

"That's what you do when you love someone, right? Forgive and compromise?"

"What have I done to earn your love?"

"You forgave and you compromised. I've only known Smaug for a couple months, mostly the extent of our voyage to Valinor but he means a lot to me. He's my mother after all."

Bilbo smiled softly, flipping the eggs and admiring what a remarkable woman their daughter was.

"Bilbo?" Smaug's sleep riddled voice called out from the bedroom.

"I'm in the kitchen, love. If you haven't already, put some clothes on before you come out here, we have company." Bilbo informed, blushing as he realized the implications of his words. Celebrian burst into a small fit of giggles and Bilbo put his hands on his hips. "What's... so funny?"

"I'm just so very relieved." Celebrian admitted, wiping some tears from her eyes. "I didn't know what to think when you said you'd worked it out with Smaug. I didn't expect you two to get this far."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means that this is better than I hoped for."

The three ate breakfast, talking happily. Such an odd family filled with so much happiness, didn't seem all that odd. For Celebrian it was easy to tell just how much they both loved each other, subtle touches and occasional glances making every emotion between her parents obvious. Tauriel's words of wisdom about waiting until morning seemed to prove true. With her faith in love restored, she felt a little empty. Like she was missing something now that her parents had reunited and she had gotten to know them. It wasn't difficult to come to the conclusion that maybe she should go on another adventure. She announced her thoughts to Smaug and Bilbo and they seemed a little apprehensive but they agreed, wanting only for Celebrian to be happy.

After bidding her parents goodbye and giving them each a long, tight embrace she disembarked from Valinor, sailing in the direction she came from. They had supplied her as best they good, Bilbo stocking her boat with plenty of food and water. He handed her a piece of paper and with a devious sort of smile, he pressed his finger to his lips.

_"Should you find yourself in Hobbiton..."_

It took her two months to reach the Gray Havens again and it was empty as it had been when she had arrived there earlier that year. And now that she was back in Middle Earth she wasn't sure where to start, but she had friends in Hobbiton so if ever there was a place to ground herself, she could think of no better place than Bagend. She made her trek to the Shire, smiling as the terrain became almost familiar. Her first order of business was to find the mayor which hadn't proved as difficult as she had believed it to be. With her affairs set in order, the deed to Bagend provided to her by her father, she made her way back to Bagend, starting to work in the garden in the front.

Sam took notice quickly and greeted her, pleasantly surprised to see her again, and even more so to learn that she was now the proud owner of her father's estate. Pippin had invited her down to the tavern with them, but perhaps the thing that made her feel most at home, besides the easily extended friendship of Samwise Gamgee and Perrigrin Took was the companionship that Merry provided.

Hobbit and halfbreed becoming practically joined at the hip, the two could be found regularly conversing. At first their conversations had featured their adventures. Celebrian marveled at Merry's bravery in battle, and likewise, Merry was enthralled with Celebrian's determination to survive and defeat the goblin horde of Moria. But with time, their conversations became more mundane. And it wasn't a bad thing. On the contrary, a sense of home became connected to the Brandybuck and the feeling was mutual. Within a year their friendship had blossomed into something else entirely and they ended up very happily married to one another, taking time every two years to sail to Valinor to meet with Bilbo and his mysterious housemate, Drake.

Drake had fit seamlessly into Bilbo's world, a few knowing elves aware of his identity but loyal enough to the hobbit to not make a big deal about the fact that the halfling was so obviously in love with a dragon. They too fell into a mundane lifestyle, but after so many years of looking for each other, it wasn't something to complain about. Days were spent in Bilbo's garden or his study, the two working together in whatever task they endeavored, whether it was pulling weeds, cooking, or reading together. Nights were spent quite differently, a hot passion appearing in their eyes whenever the sun went down. Mornings were commons spent with the same passion as the evening before and throughout the day, the two most unlikely lovers in the whole of the wide world they had ventured together could never seem to get enough of each other's lips.

They bustled with excitement whenever Merry and Celebrian were due for a visit and eventually the elves decided since they sneaked into Valinor so often, to allow them a place in their society, after all Merry was a hero and Celebrian had been raised an elf. For so many veterans of so many adventures, the simple life was greatly appreciated. A life where they could retire at the end of the day to their beds and be held by the people who they loved.

And every night that his head hit the pillow and he stared over at his love, Bilbo would thank every adventurous bone in his body that the morning the dwarves had ransacked his pantry, he had gone on what was ultimately the best decision of his life, and adventure that -as it turned out- was never going to end.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, Comments and Kudos are appreciated. I hope you enjoyed this journey, only follow your feet for another one. ^^

**Author's Note:**

> Comments and Kudos are appreciated. Thank you for reading.


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